Mumbo Jumbo Definition
mumbōjumbō
noun
Among certain West African tribes, an idol or god believed to protect the people from evil and terrorize the women into subjection.
Webster's New World
Language or ritualistic activity intended to confuse.
American Heritage
Gibberish.
Webster's New World
Meaningless ritual.
Webster's New World
An object believed to have supernatural powers; a fetish.
American Heritage
Other Word Forms of Mumbo Jumbo
Noun
Singular:
mumbo jumbo
Plural:
mumbo jumbosOrigin of Mumbo Jumbo
From Mumbo-Jumbo masked dancer described in 18th-century European accounts of the Mandinka probably from Mandinka maamajomboo masked dancer with prophetic powers maama term of address for a masked dancer jomboo ceremony of opening or first use
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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Probably from Mandinka maamajomboo (“mask; masked dancer"). What might be possible as well is the occurance of l-vocalization in the words "mumble" and "jumble".
From Wiktionary
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