Ouija

Meaning

1. A board, having letters of the alphabet and the words yes and no; used with a planchette during a seance to "communicate" with spirits.
2. Alternative letter-case form of Ouija.
3. The use of such a board to attempt to communicate with spirits.

Etymology / origin

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.

Sources

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