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Mojo

3 stages from Fula to English.

Today it means A magic charm or spell; more broadly, one's personal magnetism, energy, or knack for success.

Where does the word "mojo" come from? It comes from Fula moco'o, passing through Gullah before entering English (1920s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
moco'o
Fula · long-standing
"a medicine man or spiritual healer"
named a healer or medicine man and the charms he made
2
Stage 2 of 3
moco
Gullah · 1700s-1800s
"witchcraft, magical power"
carried across the Atlantic by enslaved Fula speakers and adapted in Gullah communities
3
Stage 3 of 3
mojo
English · 1920s
"a magic charm; personal magnetism or luck"
entered mainstream Black English and then jazz and blues slang
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