A West African amulet, charm, or talisman believed to have magical protective powers.
From West African languages, particularly those of the Sahel region. The word entered English through French colonial contact in the 18th-19th centuries. Originally referred to objects imbued with spiritual or magical significance in African religions.
The repetition of 'gri' in this word—grigri—follows a pattern common in African languages where doubling adds emphasis and power, making it sound as magical as its meaning suggests.
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