Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “mojo” come from?

mojo (English) comes from Spanish mojo, from Spanish mojar, from Vulgar Latin molliare, from Latin molliāre, from Latin mollis, from Latin molduis, from Proto-Italic moldus, from Proto-Indo-European *ml̥dus — to soften, to melt.

mojo (English): A magic charm or spell; Supernatural skill or...

Definitions

  1. A magic charm or spell; Supernatural skill or...

Ancestry of “mojo”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1SpanishmojoA type of spicy red sauce from the Canary Islands...
2Spanishmojarto moisten; to make wet, to wet; to dip
3Vulgar Latinmolliareto soften by soaking; second-person singular...
4Latinmolliāre—
5Latinmollissoft, delicate to the touch; pliant, flexible,...
6Latinmolduis—
7Proto-Italicmoldus—
8Proto-Indo-European*ml̥dus—
9Proto-Indo-European(s)meld-to soften, to melt

Words derived from “mojo”

  • mojoless
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)meld- →