mojo

/ˈmoʊd͡ʒoʊ/

//ˈmoʊd͡ʒoʊ// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"mojo" is a 4-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“mojo” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #19,142 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#19,142
frequency rank, English
4
letters
5
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A magic spell or hex.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

mojo vs mom
50% similar
mojo vs mon
50% similar
mojo vs MoS
25% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for mojo
PropertyValue
Headwordmojo
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈmoʊd͡ʒoʊ/
Letters4
Frequency rank#19,142
Misspellings tracked5
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “mojo” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). mojo lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for mojo is 4 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈmoʊd͡ʒoʊ/. Corpus data places it at rank #19,142 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 8 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 5 likely wrong-spelling variants for mojo, with forms such as "mjoo", "mmojo", and "mojjo". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "mom", "mon", "MoS", and more, a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: 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)”). The correct English form is mojo, spelled M-O-J-O.

Definition

  1. 1
    A magic spell or hex.
  2. 2
    An object (such as a charm or amulet) used to cast magic spells, especially in hoodoo.
  3. 3
    Spellcraft, hoodoo.
  4. 4
    Supernatural skill; exceptional luck, success, or power.
  5. 5
    Personal magnetism; charm; that which makes one successful and liked, viewed as an inherent power that can be present or absent.
  6. 6
    Sex appeal; sex drive.
  7. 7
    An illegal drug, especially morphine or other narcotics.
  8. 8
    A telecopier; a fax machine.

Etymology

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)”).

This word in other languages

magia(Español)Magie(Deutsch)mágica(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: mjoo,mmojo,mojjo,mooj,omjo

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of mojo - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

mjoo2mmojo1mojjo1mooj2omjo2
Edit distance from "mojo"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "mojo"?
"mojo" is spelled M-O-J-O. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈmoʊd͡ʒoʊ/.
What does "mojo" mean?
As a noun, "mojo" means: A magic spell or hex.
What words are commonly confused with "mojo"?
"mojo" is commonly confused with "mom", "mon", "MoS". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "mojo"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "mojo" is /ˈmoʊd͡ʒoʊ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "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)”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “mojo”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is M-O-J-O - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈmoʊd͡ʒoʊ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “mom” - see the side-by-side comparison. mojo vs mom
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list