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jinx
/dʒɪŋks/
a curse or bad luck
I didn't want to jinx it, but I was feeling lucky.
The speaker avoided saying something positive to prevent bad luck.
informal
a curse or bad luck that is believed to be caused by a person or event
The team avoided talking about their winning streak to avoid jinxing it.
They refrained from discussing their success to prevent bad luck.
She jinxed her own presentation by saying it would go perfectly.
Her positive statement about the presentation led to problems.
Often used in the phrase 'to jinx something' or 'to be jinxed.'
informal
to cause bad luck by speaking about something positively
Don't jinx the project by assuming it will succeed.
Avoid speaking confidently about the project's success to prevent bad luck.
Can also be used as a verb in this sense.
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Avoiding Jinxes
In superstitious contexts, people often avoid saying positive things outright to prevent jinxing their luck.
Gold Rule
Usage Context
The word 'jinx' is most commonly used in informal, superstitious contexts.
Word Origin
Originated in the early 20th century, possibly from the German 'Junggeselle' (bachelor) or the Romany 'jinjo' (accursed).
Usage Notes
Commonly used in casual conversation to express superstition about avoiding bad luck.
Word Breakdown
jinx
bad luck or curse
rootEnglish Dictionary