àbíkú
noun
/à.bí.kú/
Definitions
- In Yoruba tradition, a malevolent spirit that causes the premature death of a child, often successive children. It is often addressed through several rituals. (Compare with ogbanje).
- the act of giving birth to a child who dies prematurely
- infant mortality
- a child who dies prematurely
- child believed to be a reincarnation of a previously deceased àbíkú child
Etymology
From à- (“nominalizing prefix”) + bí (“to give birth to”) + kú (“to die”), literally “That which is given birth to and dies”. Cognate with Igala àbíkwú.
Component words
Used in
alábìíkúorúkọ àbíkúnoun
Source: Wiktionary,
where this word is spelled “abiku”.
Reference:
en-abiku-yo-noun-4jcbU1y~