Ouija

See also: ouija

English

Etymology

The popular belief that the word came from French oui (“yes”) + German ja (“yes”) is a misconception. The name is taken from a word spelled out on the board when it was asked to name itself by Helen Peters, sister-in-law of Kennard Company investor Elijah Bond. It is noted in personal letters that Ouija was the name of a woman in a painting above her head at the time, who it is speculated may have in fact been Ouida.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈwiːd͡ʒə/, /ˈwiːd͡ʒi/

Noun

Ouija (countable and uncountable, plural Ouijas)

(countable) A board, having letters of the alphabet and the words yes and no; used with a planchette during a seance to "communicate" with spirits.
(uncountable) The use of such a board to attempt to communicate with spirits.

Synonyms

(board used to communicate with spirits): Ouija board, spirit board, talking board

Translations

a board with letters of the alphabet and "yes" and "no"

Arabic: وْيْجَا‎ (wyjā)
Basque: ouija
Catalan: ouija
Danish: ouija, ouija-bræt, ånden i glasset
Dutch: ouijabord
Esperanto: literumita tabulo, fantomtabulo
Estonian: ouija laud, ouija tahvel
Finnish: ouija, Ouija-lauta
French: Ouija (fr)
German: Ouija, Hexenbrett, Alphabettafel, Seelenschreiber
Greek: πίνακας Ouija (pínakas Ouija), πίνακας πνευμάτων (pínakas pnevmáton)
Icelandic: andaglas n
Italian: ouija, tavola ouija
Japanese: ウィジャボード (uija-bōdo)
Latvian: vīdža
Lithuanian: vidža lentelė
Maltese: ouija board
Polish: ouija
Portuguese: ouija (pt), tabuleiro ouija
Romanian: ouija
Russian: уиджа f (uidža)
Spanish: güija (es), ouija (es)
Swedish: ouija-bräda, anden i glaset
Thai: ผีถ้วยแก้ว (pǐi-tûai-gɛ̂ɛo)
Turkish: ouija, cadı tahtası
Ukrainian: віджа f (vidža), віджі (vidži)
Welsh: bwrdd ouija m