Cursed with bad luck; under a spell that brings misfortune.
From 'jinx,' possibly derived from the jinx bird (wryneck) used in magical practices, or from Greek 'iynx' (magical charm). The term entered American English around 1900s.
A 'jinx' originally was a wryneck bird used in ancient magic rituals—it was twisted around and spelled over to curse enemies. The modern 'jinx' preserves this idea of twisted, backward magic in our everyday superstitions.
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