411 REFERENCE · Wiktionary
Egbona
Reference material by Wiktionary contributors. This retains its source identity and is not 411 news reporting.
Yoruba
Etymology
From yo ègbóná smallpox, ultimately from yo è- gbóná nominalizing prefix nominalizing prefix to be hot; to become hot
Pronunciation
Ègbóná
Proper noun
Ègbóná
yo euphemistic proscribed obsolete a euphemistic name for the deity of smallpox (yo Ṣànpọ̀nná)
yo Ilẹ̀ Tútù Ṣànpọ̀nná Ilẹ̀égbóná Ọbalúayé Olóde
Usage notes
The name was later proscribed by his priests because of the belief it led to the greater spread of the disease, and was replaced with yo Ilẹ̀ Tútù.
References
Buckley, A. D. The God of Smallpox: Aspects of Yoruba Religious Knowledge, , 1985