English word origin

Etymology of mojo

Probably of Creole origin, cognate with Gullah moco (“witchcraft”), Fula moco'o (“medicine man”). The origin of the drug sense is uncertain, possibly related to Spanish mojar (“to toast (celebrate with a drink)”).

2 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗

noun

A magic spell or hex. · An object (such as a charm or amulet) used to cast magic spells, especially in hoodoo. · Spellcraft, hoodoo. · Supernatural skill; exceptional luck, success, or power.

verb

To cast a magic spell on or jinx (someone). · To annoy or bother (someone).

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Cognate mentionmojares · to toast (celebrate with a drink)

This page abbreviates 4 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "es",
        "2": "mojar",
        "t": "to toast (celebrate with a drink)"
      },
      "expansion": "Spanish mojar (“to toast (celebrate with a drink)”)"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "Gullah",
      "Gullah"
    ],
    [
      "moco",
      "moco#Gullah"
    ],
    [
      "Fula",
      "Fula"
    ],
    [
      "moco'o",
      "moco'o#Fula"
    ],
    [
      "mojar",
      "mojar#Spanish"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A magic spell or hex.",
        "An object (such as a charm or amulet) used to cast magic spells, especially in hoodoo.",
        "Spellcraft, hoodoo.",
        "Supernatural skill; exceptional luck, success, or power."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "uncountable",
        "informal"
      ],
      "recordId": "393cb8dc8ab3413c3a53a1965905c86bb486f30f6ddfe492fb7cd3b8eb5729c7",
      "rawRecordSha256": "5323fa33e7c1a658c44d419e07f62f96b109c3ae98c906c6b7c747443f252d92",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 342368
    },
    {
      "pos": "verb",
      "glosses": [
        "To cast a magic spell on or jinx (someone).",
        "To annoy or bother (someone)."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "informal",
        "transitive"
      ],
      "recordId": "e7f49ec0a0c9f66b633150c3fba13bd82dbffcc881c771c116bc8afc05b53021",
      "rawRecordSha256": "e959a226664b6b0f1f159b413417610a58c94f4b8ba767a2c97f839796648cdd",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 342369
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 4,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

noun

Any of various sauces originating in the Canary Islands and made with olive oil, peppers, garlic, paprika, and other spices.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Borrowed from Spanish mojo.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Borrowed-form mentionmojoes

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "wp",
      "args": {
        "1": "+ (sauce)"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "bor+",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "es",
        "3": "mojo"
      },
      "expansion": "Borrowed from Spanish mojo"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "mojo",
      "mojo#Spanish"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "Any of various sauces originating in the Canary Islands and made with olive oil, peppers, garlic, paprika, and other spices."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "uncountable"
      ],
      "recordId": "8e515cc735bd6a3877d4f9b18f9a0a874a697362f14f305d604ce7cddaa353e6",
      "rawRecordSha256": "bed38fa7efabe10e4c95fe839b57d08b4e4467a4c58321a054d01ec4738e90e4",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 342370
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
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    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for mojo →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-bW9qbw