juju
Americannoun
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an object venerated superstitiously and used as a fetish or amulet in West African spiritual practices.
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the magical power attributed to such an object.
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Informal. an emanating aura or supernatural force: The team chalked up that string of unfortunate losses to bad juju on the road.
The charismatic lead singer has serious juju.
The team chalked up that string of unfortunate losses to bad juju on the road.
noun
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an object superstitiously revered by certain W African peoples and used as a charm or fetish
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the power associated with a juju
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a taboo effected by a juju
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any process in which a mystery is exploited to confuse people
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of juju
First recorded in 1890–95; allegedly from Hausa jūjū “fetish,” from French joujou “toy, plaything”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Ninja was propelled to stardom in 2018 after he played Fortnite on streaming site Twitch alongside rappers Drake and Travis Scott, and NFL player Juju Smith-Schuster.
From BBC • Sep. 18, 2025
Quarterback Madden Iamaleava, a transfer from Warren, has yet to gain eligibility, but the Jackrabbits have plenty of talent at receiver with Kamarie Smith and Juju Johnson.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 25, 2024
Sophomore Juju Diaz-Jones of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame has allowed zero earned runs in 22 2/3 innings.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2024
“Obviously Juju is so phenomenal, to see her adapt to the college game and adapt as quickly is so impressive.”
From Seattle Times • Nov. 27, 2023
Mr. Pajolli comes rushing out of his office, asking Juju to quiet down.
From "The Skin I'm In" by Sharon G. Flake
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
