loa

noun1

1. •
   In the voodoo religion, a spirit intermediary between Bondye (the creator god) and human beings.

   • Here, on the Island Below the Sea, the loa have their permanent residence, their primal location. — 1953

noun4

1. •
   Initialism of leave of absence.
2. •
   Initialism of length over all, the length of a ship's hull without attachments.

   • But in the end, nothing says as much about a yacht, or its owner, as the delicate matter of L.O.A.—length over all. — 2022
3. •
   Initialism of law of attraction.
4. •
   (US) Initialism of letter of appreciation.