In Cajun country, they call it mojo—magic as mysterious as it is spiritual. Sandra Lee
—often used with the
… a kind of colorful magic known as the mojo … Henry Louis Gates Jr.
2
: a seemingly supernatural power, influence, or ability
Netflix's "Orange Is the New Black" lost its mojo in the third season, as the plots—many of them silly—petered out. Matthew Gilbert
Whether they have several hours or only a few minutes to work their mojo, filmmakers need to make the most of every moment. Jason Anderson
But Tennessee comes out on top with a defense that appears vastly improved the last couple weeks, boosting an offense that's found its mojo too. Ben Arthur
: a sauce, marinade, or seasoning that is usually composed primarily of olive oil, garlic, citrus juice, and spices (such as black pepper and cumin)
… crisp beef shreds … served with the classic Cuban mojo, a sauce made with citrus fruits, garlic and olive oil … Alan Kellogg
… the Cuban mojo, made with crushed garlic, olive oil, maybe oregano, and citrus juice, most often bitter orange. Dan Nosowitz
The "Let it Marinade" collection has five mojos and sauces to help "take meat flavors" to a new "Cuban-inspired level." Stephen Fries
On the afternoon of Effe Café's first anniversary in a Cooper City gas station last month, lunch-rush customers ordered mojo pork sandwiches … Phillip Valys
Noun (1) He's been suffering from incredibly bad mojo lately. The team has lost its mojo. We need to get our mojos working again.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
That mojo is palpable in new EV-centric spaces like Factory Zero and the Parking Lab, where Detroit seems to crackle with new energy. Jaclyn Trop, Fortune, 1 June 2022 What's Ron DeSantis thinking now that Donald Trump got his grievance mojo back?NBC News, 21 Aug. 2022 Washington Post readers have shared similar sentiments, expressing being in a rut, a lack of inspiration and missing their mojo in the kitchen despite once loving it. Aaron Hutcherson, Washington Post, 5 Aug. 2022 There’s also reason to think that under less pressure to succeed, the eight-time F1 race-winning driver might find his mojo again. Nathan Brown, The Indianapolis Star, 14 July 2022 Since the beginning of the pandemic, there’s been endless hand-wringing about how New York has lost its mojo. Julian Sancton, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 May 2022 Some call it mojo, others call it energy, but what matters is finding it within you. Ellevate, Forbes, 14 Sep. 2021 If the Mets can keep their mojo going, Hernandez will turn 69 years old during their postseason run. Matthew Roberson, Hartford Courant, 9 July 2022 Thor: Love and Thunder tells a tale of a title character who has lost his drive, his purpose and his mojo. Scott Mendelson, Forbes, 5 July 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
probably of African origin; akin to Fulani moco'o medicine man
Noun (2)
borrowed from Cuban Spanish, noun derivative of Spanish mojar "to make wet, moisten," going back to Vulgar Latin *molliāre — more at moil entry 1
Note: Attestations of Spanish mojo in approximately the sense of the definition go back to at least the early twentieth century, to judge from the following passage: "Un puerco ahumado con hojas de guayaba, con plátano verde y mojo de naranja agria, es el alimento predilecto del guajiro criollo." (A. Pompeyo, "Protesta de un cuerdo," Cuba y América, revista illustrada, vol. 14, no. 1, January 3, 1904, p. 17; "A hog cooked [literally, smoked] with guava leaves, green plantain and mojo of sour orange is the favorite dish of the native-born countryman.") The sauce is described earlier without inclusion of citrus in an account of Cuba by the American Samuel Hazard: "El aporreado is made of half raw meat, dressed with water, vinegar, salt, etc., which operation is known as perdigar (or stewing in an earthen pan); then mashed and stirred together it is fried slightly in a sauce (mojo) of lard, tomatoes, garlic, onions, and peppers" (Cuba with Pen and Pencil, Hartford CT, 1871, pp. 537-38). A similar description can be found in the anonymous cookbook El cocinero de los enfermos, convalecientes y desganados (Havana, 1862): "… el mojo, que es una fritura de tomates, cebollas, ajíes dulces con manteca y sal" (p. 41; "mojo, which is a fried mix of tomatoes, onions, sweet peppers with lard and salt"). See also mojito.