This is a list of

English language English is a West Germanic language of the Indo-European language family, with its earliest forms spoken by the inhabitants of early medieval England. It is named after the Angles, one of the ancient Germanic peoples that migrated to the ...

words borrowed from

indigenous languages of the Americas Over a thousand indigenous languages are spoken by the Indigenous peoples of the Americas. These languages cannot all be demonstrated to be related to each other and are classified into a hundred or so language families (including a large nu ...

, either directly or through intermediate European languages such as

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

. It does not cover names of ethnic groups or place names derived from indigenous languages. Most words of Native American/First Nations language origin are the

common name In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often contrast ...

s for indigenous flora and fauna, or describe items of Native American or

First Nations First Nations or first peoples may refer to: * Indigenous peoples, for ethnic groups who are the earliest known inhabitants of an area. Indigenous groups *First Nations is commonly used to describe some Indigenous groups including: **First Natio ...

life and culture. Some few are names applied in honor of Native Americans or First Nations peoples or due to a vague similarity to the original object of the word. For instance, sequoias are named in honor of the Cherokee leader

Sequoyah Sequoyah (Cherokee language, Cherokee: ᏍᏏᏉᏯ, ''Ssiquoya'', or ᏎᏉᏯ, ''Se-quo-ya''; 1770 – August 1843), also known as George Gist or George Guess, was a Native Americans in the United States, Native American polymath of the Ch ...

, who lived 2,000 miles (3200 km) east of that tree's range, while the

kinkajou The kinkajou ( /ˈkɪŋkədʒuː/ ''KING-kə-joo''; ''Potos flavus'') is a tropical rainforest mammal of the family Procyonidae related to olingos, coatis, raccoons, and the ringtail and cacomistle. It is the only member of the genus ''Potos'' ...

of South America was given a name from the unrelated North American

wolverine The wolverine (), (''Gulo gulo''; ''Gulo'' is Latin for " glutton"), also referred to as the glutton, carcajou, or quickhatch (from East Cree, ''kwiihkwahaacheew''), is the largest land-dwelling species of the family Mustelidae. It is a musc ...

Words from Algonquian languages

Since Native Americans and First Nations peoples speaking a language of the Algonquian group were generally the first to meet English explorers and settlers along the Eastern Seaboard, many words from these languages made their way into English. In addition, many place names in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and th ...

are of Algonquian origin, for example: Mississippi (cf. and oj, misiziibi, "great river," referring to the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the List of longest rivers of the United States (by main stem), second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest Drainage system (geomorphology), drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson B ...

)Nichols, John, and Earl Nyholm. 1995. ''A Concise Dictionary of Minnesota Ojibwe''. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press and Michigan (cf. , oj, label=Ojibwe, Mishigami, "great sea," referring to

Lake Michigan Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume () and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the east, its basin is conjoined with that o ...

Canadian province Within the geographical areas of Canada, the ten provinces and three territories are sub-national administrative divisions under the jurisdiction of the Canadian Constitution. In the 1867 Canadian Confederation, three provinces of British Nor ...

s and

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

s, districts, counties and municipalities bear Algonquian names, such as Québec, Ottawa,

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a province in western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dak ...

, Nantucket, Massachusetts,

Naugatuck Naugatuck is a consolidated borough and town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The town spans both sides of the Naugatuck River just south of Waterbury and includes the communities of Union City on the east side of the river, wh ...

, Connecticut,

Wyoming Wyoming () is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the southwest, and Colorado to the s ...

, District of Keewatin, Outagamie County, Wisconsin and

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

, Illinois, or Algonquian-derived names, such as Algoma. Furthermore, some

indigenous peoples of the Americas The Indigenous peoples of the Americas are the inhabitants of the Americas before the arrival of the European settlers in the 15th century, and the ethnic groups who now identify themselves with those peoples. Many Indigenous peoples of the A ...

groups are known better by their Algonquian

exonym An endonym (from Greek: , 'inner' + , 'name'; also known as autonym) is a common, ''native'' name for a geographical place, group of people, individual person, language or dialect, meaning that it is used inside that particular place, group, ...

s, rather than by their endonym, such as the Eskimo (see below), Winnebago (perhaps from pot, winpyéko, lit=(people of the) dirty water),Campbell (1997:399) Sioux (ultimately from otw, naadowesiwag),

Assiniboine The Assiniboine or Assiniboin people ( when singular, Assiniboines / Assiniboins when plural; Ojibwe: ''Asiniibwaan'', "stone Sioux"; also in plural Assiniboine or Assiniboin), also known as the Hohe and known by the endonym Nakota (or Nakod ...

( oj, asiniibwaan, lit=stone Sioux, label=Ojibwe) and

Chipewyan The Chipewyan ( , also called ''Denésoliné'' or ''Dënesųłı̨né'' or ''Dënë Sųłınë́'', meaning "the original/real people") are a Dene Indigenous Canadian people of the Athabaskan language family, whose ancestors are identified ...

( cr, script=Latn, čīpwayān, lit=(those who have) pointed skins or hides). ; Apishamore (definition): From a word in an Algonquian language meaning "something to lie down upon" (c.f.

Ojibwe The Ojibwe, Ojibwa, Chippewa, or Saulteaux are an Anishinaabe people in what is currently southern Canada, the northern Midwestern United States, and Northern Plains. According to the U.S. census, in the United States Ojibwe people are one of ...

). ;

Atamasco lily ''Zephyranthes'' is a genus of temperate and tropical plants in the Amaryllidaceae, Amaryllis family, subfamily Amaryllidoideae, native to the Western Hemisphere and widely cultivated as ornamentals. Following the expansion of the genus in ...

(definition): Earlier "attamusca", from

Powhatan The Powhatan people (; also spelled Powatan) may refer to any of the indigenous Algonquian people that are traditionally from eastern Virginia. All of the Powhatan groups descend from the Powhatan Confederacy. In some instances, The Powhatan ...

. ; Babiche (definition): From

Míkmaq The Mi'kmaq (also ''Mi'gmaq'', ''Lnu'', ''Miꞌkmaw'' or ''Miꞌgmaw''; ; ) are a First Nations people of the Northeastern Woodlands, indigenous to the areas of Canada's Atlantic Provinces and the Gaspé Peninsula of Quebec as well as the north ...

''ápapíj'' (from ''ápapi'', "cord, thread",

Proto-Algonquian Proto-Algonquian (commonly abbreviated PA) is the proto-language from which the various Algonquian languages are descended. It is generally estimated to have been spoken around 2,500 to 3,000 years ago, but there is less agreement on where it was ...

''*aʔrapa·pyi'', from ''*aʔrapy-'', "net" + ''*-a·by-'', "string". ; Caribou (definition): From

''qalipu'', "snow-shoveler" (from ''qalipi'', "shovel snow",

''*maka·ripi-''). ; Caucus (definition): The etymology is disputed: two possible sources are an Algonquian word for "counsel", 'cau´-cau-as´u'; or the Algonquian , meaning an advisor, talker, or orator. ;Chinkapin (definition): From

''chechinquamins'', reconstituted as , the plural form. ;

Chipmunk Chipmunks are small, striped rodents of the family Sciuridae. Chipmunks are found in North America, with the exception of the Siberian chipmunk which is found primarily in Asia. Taxonomy and systematics Chipmunks may be classified either as ...

(definition): Originally "chitmunk," from Odawa ''jidmoonh''Rhodes, Richard A. 1985. ''Eastern Ojibwa–Chippewa–Ottawa Dictionary''. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter (c.f.

''ajidamoo(nh)''), " American red squirrel". ;

Cisco Cisco Systems, Inc., commonly known as Cisco, is an American-based multinational digital communications technology conglomerate corporation headquartered in San Jose, California. Cisco develops, manufactures, and sells networking hardware, ...

(definition): Originally "siscowet," from

Ojibwe language Ojibwe , also known as Ojibwa , Ojibway, Otchipwe,R. R. Bishop Baraga, 1878''A Theoretical and Practical Grammar of the Otchipwe Language''/ref> Ojibwemowin, or Anishinaabemowin, is an indigenous language of North America of the Algonquian lan ...

''bemidewiskaawed'' "greasy-bodied

ish Ish may refer to: *Ish (name) also ancient Hebrew word for Man at Genesis 2:23, also Ish-shah for Woman *Chazon Ish, sobriquet of Rabbi Avraham Yeshayahu Karelitz *the Sanskrit for "lord", see Ishvara * ''...ish'' (audio drama), Doctor Who audio d ...

. ; Eskimo (definition): From Old Montagnais ''aiachkimeou'' (; modern ''ayassimēw''), meaning "snowshoe-netter" (often incorrectly claimed to be from an

word meaning "eaters of raw eat), and originally used to refer to the Mikmaq. ; Hackmatack (definition): From an Algonquian language ''akemantak'' (c.f.

''aagimaandag''), "

snowshoe Snowshoes are specialized outdoor gear for walking over snow. Their large footprint spreads the user's weight out and allows them to travel largely on top of rather than through snow. Adjustable bindings attach them to appropriate winter footwe ...

boughs". ; Hickory (definition): From

, "milky drink made with hickory nuts". ; Hominy (definition): From

/, literally "that which is treated", in this case "that which is ground/beaten". ;

Husky Husky is a general term for a dog used in the polar regions, primarily and specifically for work as sled dogs. It refers to a traditional northern type, notable for its cold-weather tolerance and overall hardiness. Modern racing huskies that mai ...

(definition): Ultimately from a variant form of the word "Eskimo" (see above). ;

Kinkajou The kinkajou ( /ˈkɪŋkədʒuː/ ''KING-kə-joo''; ''Potos flavus'') is a tropical rainforest mammal of the family Procyonidae related to olingos, coatis, raccoons, and the ringtail and cacomistle. It is the only member of the genus ''Potos'' ...

(definition): From an Algonquian word meaning "wolverine" (c.f.

Algonquin Algonquin or Algonquian—and the variation Algonki(a)n—may refer to: Languages and peoples *Algonquian languages, a large subfamily of Native American languages in a wide swath of eastern North America from Canada to Virginia **Algonquin la ...

''kwingwaage'',

''gwiingwa'aage''), through French . ;

Kinnikinnick Kinnikinnick is a Native American and First Nations herbal smoking mixture, made from a traditional combination of leaves or barks. Recipes for the mixture vary, as do the uses, from social, to spiritual to medicinal. Etymology The term "kinni ...

(definition): From Unami Delaware , "mixture" (c.f. Ojibwe "to mix something animate with something inanimate"), from

''*kereken-'', "mix (it) with something different by hand". ; Mackinaw (definition): From , from Menomini ''mishilimaqkināhkw'', "be large like a snapping turtle", or from

''mishi-makinaak'', "large snapping turtle" with French , "island". ;

Moccasin A moccasin is a shoe, made of deerskin or other soft leather, consisting of a sole (made with leather that has not been "worked") and sides made of one piece of leather, stitched together at the top, and sometimes with a vamp (additional panel o ...

(definition): From an Algonquian language, perhaps

, reconstituted as (c.f.

''makizin'',

''mɨkusun'', from

''*maxkeseni''). ;

Moose The moose (in North America) or elk (in Eurasia) (''Alces alces'') is a member of the New World deer subfamily and is the only species in the genus ''Alces''. It is the largest and heaviest extant species in the deer family. Most adult ma ...

(definition): From

Eastern Abenaki The Abenaki (Abenaki: ''Wαpánahki'') are an Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands of Canada and the United States. They are an Algonquian-speaking people and part of the Wabanaki Confederacy. The Eastern Abenaki language was pred ...

''moz'', reinforced by cognates from other Algonquian languagesRHD (1987:1247) (e.g. Massachusett/Narragansett ''moos'',

''moo(n)z'', Lenape ''mus'' 'elk'), from

''*mo·swa''. ;

Mugwump The Mugwumps were Republican political activists in the United States who were intensely opposed to political corruption. They were never formally organized. Typically they switched parties from the Republican Party by supporting Democratic ...

(definition): From "mugquomp", a shortening of

Massachusett The Massachusett were a Native American tribe from the region in and around present-day Greater Boston in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name comes from the Massachusett language term for "At the Great Hill," referring to the Blue Hills ...

, "war chief" (

''*memekwa·pe·wa'', from ''*memekw-'', "swift" + ''*-a·pe·'', "man"). ;

Muskellunge The muskellunge ''(Esox masquinongy)'', often shortened to muskie, musky or lunge is a species of large freshwater predatory fish native to North America. It is the largest member of the pike family, Esocidae. Origin of name The name "muskell ...

(definition): Ultimately from

, "ugly

pike Pike, Pikes or The Pike may refer to: Fish * Blue pike or blue walleye, an extinct color morph of the yellow walleye ''Sander vitreus'' * Ctenoluciidae, the "pike characins", some species of which are commonly known as pikes * ''Esox'', genus of ...

" (c.f. ''ginoozhe'', "pike"). ; Muskeg (definition): From Cree , "swamp" (

''*maškye·kwi'').RHD (1987:1268) ; Muskrat (definition): A folk-etymologized reshaping of earlier "musquash", from

(c.f.

Western Abenaki The Abenaki (Abenaki: ''Wαpánahki'') are an Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands of Canada and the United States. They are an Algonquian-speaking people and part of the Wabanaki Confederacy. The Eastern Abenaki language was pred ...

''mòskwas''), apparently from

''*mo·šk'', "bob (at the surface of the water)" + ''*-exkwe·-'', "head" + a derivational ending). ; Opossum (definition): From

//, "white dog-like animal", reconstituted as (c.f.

', "white dog"). ;

Papoose Papoose (from the Algonquian ''papoose'', meaning "child") is an American English word whose present meaning is "a Native American child" (regardless of tribe) or, even more generally, any child, usually used as a term of endearment, often in t ...

(definition): From Narragansett

American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language ''The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language'' (''AHD'') is an American dictionary of English published by Boston publisher Houghton Mifflin, the first edition of which appeared in 1969. Its creation was spurred by the controversy o ...

, "baby". ;

Pecan The pecan (''Carya illinoinensis'') is a species of hickory native to the southern United States and northern Mexico in the region of the Mississippi River. The tree is cultivated for its seed in the southern United States, primarily in Georgia, ...

(definition): From

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...

''pakani'' (c.f.

''bagaan''), "

nut Nut often refers to: * Nut (fruit), fruit composed of a hard shell and a seed, or a collective noun for dry and edible fruits or seeds * Nut (hardware), fastener used with a bolt Nut or Nuts may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Co ...

", from

''*paka·ni''. ;

Pemmican Pemmican (also pemican in older sources) is a mixture of tallow, dried meat, and sometimes dried berries. A calorie-rich food, it can be used as a key component in prepared meals or eaten raw. Historically, it was an important part of indigenou ...

(definition): From Cree ''pimihkān'', from ''pimihkēw'', "to make grease" (

''*pemihke·wa'', from ''*pemy-'', "grease" + ''-ehke·'', "to make"). ;

Persimmon The persimmon is the edible fruit of a number of species of trees in the genus '' Diospyros''. The most widely cultivated of these is the Oriental persimmon, ''Diospyros kaki'' ''Diospyros'' is in the family Ebenaceae, and a number of non-per ...

(definition): From

/, reconstituted as . While the final element reflects

''*-min'', "fruit, berry", the initial is unknown. ; Pipsissewa (definition): From

Abenaki The Abenaki ( Abenaki: ''Wαpánahki'') are an Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands of Canada and the United States. They are an Algonquian-speaking people and part of the Wabanaki Confederacy. The Eastern Abenaki language was pre ...

''kpipskwáhsawe'', "flower of the woods". ;

Pokeweed ''Phytolacca americana'', also known as American pokeweed, pokeweed, poke sallet, dragonberries, and inkberry, is a poisonous, herbaceous perennial plant in the pokeweed family Phytolaccaceae. This pokeweed grows . It has simple leaves on green ...

(definition): Probably from "puccoon" (see below) + "weed". ;Pone (definition): From

/, "something roasted" (reconstituted as ) (c.f.

''abwaan''), from

''*apwa·n''. ; Powwow (definition): From Narragansett ''powwaw'', "

shaman Shamanism is a religious practice that involves a practitioner (shaman) interacting with what they believe to be a spirit world through altered states of consciousness, such as trance. The goal of this is usually to direct spirits or spir ...

" (

''*pawe·wa'', "to dream, to have a vision"). ; Puccoon (definition): From

, reconstituted as (c.f. Unami Delaware , 'red dye; the plant from which dye is made'). ;Pung: A low box-like sleigh designed for one horse. Shortened form of "tom-pung" (from the same etymon as "toboggan") from an Algonquian language of Southern New England. ; Punkie (definition): Via

Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

, from

Munsee The Munsee (or Minsi or Muncee) or mə́n'si·w ( del, Monsiyok)Online Lenape Talking Dictionary, "Munsee Indians"Link/ref> are a subtribe of the Lenape, originally constituting one of the three great divisions of that nation and dwelling along ...

(

''*penkwehsa'', from ''*penkw-'', "dust, ashes" + ''*-ehs'', a diminutive suffix). ;

Quahog The hard clam (''Mercenaria mercenaria''), also known as the round clam, hard-shell (or hard-shelled) clam, or the quahog, is an edible marine bivalve mollusk that is native to the eastern shores of North America and Central America from Prince E ...

(definition): From Narragansett . ;

Quonset hut A Quonset hut is a lightweight prefabricated structure of corrugated galvanized steel having a semi cylindrical cross-section. The design was developed in the United States, based on the Nissen hut introduced by the British during World War ...

(definition): From an Algonquian language of southern New England, possibly meaning "small long place" (with , "long" + <-s->, diminutive + <-et>, locative). ;

Raccoon The raccoon ( or , ''Procyon lotor''), sometimes called the common raccoon to distinguish it from other species, is a mammal native to North America. It is the largest of the procyonid family, having a body length of , and a body weight of ...

(definition): From

/, tentatively reconstituted as . ;

Sachem Sachems and sagamores are paramount chiefs among the Algonquians or other Native American tribes of northeastern North America, including the Iroquois. The two words are anglicizations of cognate terms (c. 1622) from different Eastern Al ...

(definition): From an Algonquian language of southern New England, c.f. Narragansett ( Proto-Eastern Algonquian ''*sākimāw'', "chief").Goddard, Ives (1978). "Eastern Algonquian languages", in "Northeast", ed. Bruce G. Trigger. Vol. 15 of ''Handbook of North American Indians'', ed. William C. Sturtevant. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution, pg. 75 ; Sagamore (definition): From

''sakəma'' (c.f. Narragansett ), "chief", from Proto-Eastern Algonquian ''*sākimāw''. ;

Scup The scup (''Stenotomus chrysops'') is a fish which occurs primarily in the Atlantic from Massachusetts to South Carolina. Along with many other fish of the family Sparidae, it is also commonly known as porgy. Scup grow as large as 18 in (450&n ...

(definition): Shortened from ''scuppaug'', which is from Narragansett ''mishcùppaûog.'' ; Shoepac (definition): From Unami Delaware "shoes" (singular ), altered on analogy with English "shoe". ; Skunk (definition): From

(

''*šeka·kwa'', from ''*šek-'', "to urinate" + ''*-a·kw'', "fox"). ;

Squash (fruit) ''Cucurbita'' (Latin for gourd) is a genus of herbaceous fruits in the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae (also known as ''cucurbits'' or ''cucurbi''), native to the Andes and Mesoamerica. Five edible species are grown and consumed for their flesh ...

(definition): From Narragansett .RHD (1987:1850) ;

Squaw The English word ''squaw'' is an ethnic and sexual slur, historically used for Indigenous North American women. Contemporary use of the term, especially by non-Natives, is considered derogatory, misogynist, and racist.King, C. Richard,De/Sc ...

(definition): From

(c.f. Cree ''iskwē'',

''ikwe''), "woman", from

''*eθkwe·wa''. ;

Succotash Succotash (from Narragansett ''sahquttahhash'', "broken corn kernels") is a vegetable dish consisting primarily of sweet corn with lima beans or other shell beans. Other ingredients may be added, such as onions, potatoes, turnips, tomatoes, b ...

(definition): From Narragansett , "boiled whole kernels of corn" (

''*mesi·nkwete·wari'', singular ''*mesi·nkwete·'', from ''*mes-'', "whole" + ''*-i·nkw-'', "eye

kernel Kernel may refer to: Computing * Kernel (operating system), the central component of most operating systems * Kernel (image processing), a matrix used for image convolution * Compute kernel, in GPGPU programming * Kernel method, in machine learn ...

+ ''-ete·'', "to cook"). ; Tabagie (definition): From

. ;

Tautog The tautog (''Tautoga onitis''), also known as the blackfish, is a species of wrasse native to the western Atlantic Ocean from Nova Scotia to South Carolina. This species inhabits hard substrate habitats in inshore waters at depths from . It is ...

(definition): From Narragansett ''tautaũog''. ;

Terrapin Terrapins are one of several small species of turtle (order Testudines) living in fresh or brackish water. Terrapins do not form a taxonomic unit and may not be closely related. Many belong to the families Geoemydidae and Emydidae. The name ...

(definition): Originally "torope," from an

Eastern Algonquian language The Eastern Algonquian languages constitute a subgroup of the Algonquian languages. Prior to European contact, Eastern Algonquian consisted of at least 17 languages, whose speakers collectively occupied the Atlantic coast of North America and adj ...

, perhaps

(reconstituted as ) (c.f. Munsee Delaware ),Bright (2004:489) from Proto-Eastern Algonquian ''*tōrəpēw''. ;

Toboggan A toboggan is a simple sled traditionally used by children. It is also a traditional form of transport used by the Innu and Cree of northern Canada. In modern times, it is used on snow to carry one or more people (often children) down a hill ...

(definition): From

''topaqan''RHD (1987:1990) or Maliseet-Passamaquoddy (

''*weta·pye·kani'', from ''*wet-'', "to drag" + ''*-a·pye·-'', "cordlike object" + ''*-kan'', "instrument for"). ;

Tomahawk A tomahawk is a type of single-handed axe used by the many Indigenous peoples and nations of North America. It traditionally resembles a hatchet with a straight shaft. In pre-colonial times the head was made of stone, bone, or antler, and Eur ...

(definition): From

(

''*temaha·kani'', from ''*temah-'', "to cut" + ''*-a·kan'', "instrument for"). ;

Totem A totem (from oj, ᑑᑌᒼ, italics=no or '' doodem'') is a spirit being, sacred object, or symbol that serves as an emblem of a group of people, such as a family, clan, lineage, or tribe, such as in the Anishinaabe clan system. While ''the ...

(definition): From

''nindoodem'', "my totem" or ''odoodeman'', "his totem," referring to a

kin group __NOTOC__ Kin usually refers to kinship and family. Kin or KIN may also refer to: Culture and religion * Otherkin, people who identify as not entirely human *Kinism, a white supremacist religious movement * Kinh, the majority ethnic group of ...

. ; Tuckahoe (definition): From

//, "root used for bread", reconstituted as (perhaps from

''*takwah-'', "pound (it)/reduce (it) to flour"). ;

Tullibee ''Coregonus artedi'', commonly known as the cisco, is a North American species of freshwater whitefish in the family Salmonidae. The number of species and definition of species limits in North American ciscoes is a matter of debate. Accordingly ...

(definition): From Old

(

modern Modern may refer to: History * Modern history ** Early Modern period ** Late Modern period *** 18th century *** 19th century *** 20th century ** Contemporary history * Moderns, a faction of Freemasonry that existed in the 18th century Phil ...

''odoonibii''). ;

Wampum Wampum is a traditional shell bead of the Eastern Woodlands tribes of Native Americans. It includes white shell beads hand-fashioned from the North Atlantic channeled whelk shell and white and purple beads made from the quahog or Western Nor ...

(definition): Earlier "wampumpeag", from

, and meaning "white strings f beads (c.f. Maliseet: ''wapapiyik'',

''wápapəyak'',

''waabaabiinyag''), from

''*wa·p-'', "white" + ''*-a·py-'', "string-like object" + ''*-aki'', plural. ; Wanigan (definition): From Ojibwa , "storage pit". ;

Wapiti The elk (''Cervus canadensis''), also known as the wapiti, is one of the largest species within the deer family, Cervidae, and one of the largest terrestrial mammals in its native range of North America and Central and East Asia. The comm ...

(elk) (definition): From

Shawnee The Shawnee are an Algonquian-speaking indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands. In the 17th century they lived in Pennsylvania, and in the 18th century they were in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, with some bands in Kentucky a ...

''waapiti'', "white rump" (c.f.

''waabidiy''), from

''*wa·petwiya'', from ''*wa·p-'', "white" + ''*-etwiy'', "rump". ; Wickiup (definition): From

Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...

''wiikiyaapi'', from the same

etymon as "wigwam" (see below). ;

Wigwam A wigwam, wickiup, wetu (Wampanoag), or wiigiwaam (Ojibwe, in syllabics: ) is a semi-permanent domed dwelling formerly used by certain Native American tribes and First Nations people and still used for ceremonial events. The term ''wickiup' ...

(definition): From

''wìkəwam'' (c.f.

''wiigiwaam''), from

''*wi·kiwa·Hmi''. ;

Woodchuck The groundhog (''Marmota monax''), also known as a woodchuck, is a rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots. The groundhog is a lowland creature of North America; it is found through m ...

(definition): Reshaped on analogy with "wood" and "chuck", from an Algonquian language of southern New England (c.f. Narragansett , "woodchuck").

Words from Nahuatl

:''Unless otherwise specified, is among the sources used for each etymology'' Words of Nahuatl origin have entered many European languages. Mainly they have done so via

. Most words of Nahuatl origin end in a form of the Nahuatl " absolutive suffix" (, , or , or the Spanish adaptation ), which marked unpossessed nouns. ;

Achiote ''Bixa orellana'', also known as achiote, is a shrub native to Central America. ''Bixa orellana'' is grown in many countries worldwide. The tree is best known as the source of annatto, a natural orange-red condiment (also called or ) obtained ...

(definition): from ;

Atlatl A spear-thrower, spear-throwing lever or ''atlatl'' (pronounced or ; Nahuatl ''ahtlatl'' ) is a tool that uses leverage to achieve greater velocity in dart or javelin-throwing, and includes a bearing surface which allows the user to store ene ...

(definition): from ;

Atole ''Atole'' (, from Nahuatl '' ātōlli'' ), also known as ''atolli'' and ''atol de elote'', is a traditional hot corn- and masa-based beverage of Mexican origin. Chocolate ''atole'' is known as ''champurrado'' or ''atole''. It typically accom ...

(definition): from ;

Avocado The avocado (''Persea americana'') is a medium-sized, evergreen tree in the laurel family ( Lauraceae). It is native to the Americas and was first domesticated by Mesoamerican tribes more than 5,000 years ago. Then as now it was prized for ...

(definition): from , 'avocado' or 'testicle' , via Spanish ''aguacate'' and later ''avocado'' (influenced by early Spanish ''abogado'' 'lawyer') ;

Axolotl The axolotl (; from nci, āxōlōtl ), ''Ambystoma mexicanum'', is a paedomorphic salamander closely related to the tiger salamander. Axolotls are unusual among amphibians in that they reach adulthood without undergoing metamorphosis. I ...

(definition): , via Spanish, ultimately from , 'water' + , 'male servant' ;

Aztec The Aztecs () were a Mesoamerican culture that flourished in central Mexico in the post-classic period from 1300 to 1521. The Aztec people included different ethnic groups of central Mexico, particularly those groups who spoke the Nahuatl ...

(definition): from 'coming from Aztlan', via Spanish ''Azteca'' ; Cacao (definition) and Cocoa (definition): from ;

Chayote Chayote (''Sechium edule''), also known as mirliton and choko, is an edible plant belonging to the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae. This fruit was first cultivated in Mesoamerica between southern Mexico and Honduras, with the most genetic diversity ...

(definition): from ;Chia (definition): from ; Chicle (definition): from ; Chili (definition): from ;

Chipotle A chipotle (, ; ), or ''chilpotle'', is a smoke-dried ripe jalapeño chili pepper used for seasoning. It is a chili used primarily in Mexican and Mexican-inspired cuisines, such as Tex-Mex and Southwestern United States dishes. It comes in dif ...

(definition): from 'smoked chili', from ''chili'' + ''poctli'' 'smoke' ;

Chocolate Chocolate is a food made from roasted and ground cacao seed kernels that is available as a liquid, solid, or paste, either on its own or as a flavoring agent in other foods. Cacao has been consumed in some form since at least the Olmec civ ...

(definition): Often said to be from Nahuatl or , which would be derived from 'bitter' and 'water' (with an irregular change of ''x'' to ''ch''). However, the form is not directly attested, and does not appear in Nahuatl until the mid-18th century. Some researchers have recently proposed that the element was originally , and referred to a special wooden stick used to prepare chocolate. ;

Copal Copal is tree resin, particularly the aromatic resins from the copal tree ''Protium copal'' (Burseraceae) used by the cultures of pre-Columbian Mesoamerica as ceremonially burned incense and for other purposes. More generally, copal includes re ...

(definition): from ; Coyote (definition): from via Spanish ;

Epazote ''Dysphania ambrosioides'', formerly ''Chenopodium ambrosioides'', known as Jesuit's tea, Mexican-tea, ''payqu'' ''(paico)'', ''epazote'', ''mastruz'', or ''herba sanctæ Mariæ'', is an annual or short-lived perennial herb native to Central A ...

(definition): from ;

Guacamole Guacamole (; (informally shortened to ''guac'' in the United States since the 1980s) is an avocado-based dip, spread, or salad first developed in Mexico. In addition to its use in modern Mexican cuisine, it has become part of international cuisi ...

(definition): from , from , 'avocado', and , 'sauce', via Mexican Spanish ;

Hoatzin The hoatzin ( ) or hoactzin ( ), (''Opisthocomus hoazin''), is the only species in the order Opisthocomiformes. It is a species of tropical bird found in swamps, riparian forests, and mangroves of the Amazon and the Orinoco basins in South Ameri ...

(definition): from ;

Jicama ''Pachyrhizus erosus'', commonly known as jícama ( or ; Spanish ''jícama'' ; from Nahuatl ''xīcamatl'', ) Mexican turnip, is the name of a native Mexican vine, although the name most commonly refers to the plant's edible tuberous root. Jícam ...

(definition): from ;

Mesquite Mesquite is a common name for several plants in the genus '' Prosopis'', which contains over 40 species of small leguminous trees. They are native to dry areas in the Americas. They have extremely long roots to seek water from very far under gr ...

(definition): from , via Spanish ''mezquite'' ;

Mezcal Mezcal (, ), sometimes spelled mescal, is a distilled alcoholic beverage made from any type of agave. The word ''mezcal'' comes from Nahuatl , which means "oven-cooked agave", from and .What is MezcalElmezcal.org Traditionally the word " ...

(definition): from and which mean 'oven cooked agave.'What is Mezcal
Elmezcal.org
;

Mole Mole (or Molé) may refer to: Animals * Mole (animal) or "true mole", mammals in the family Talpidae, found in Eurasia and North America * Golden moles, southern African mammals in the family Chrysochloridae, similar to but unrelated to Talpida ...

(definition): from , 'sauce' ;

Nixtamalization Nixtamalization () is a process for the preparation of corn, or other grain, in which the grain is soaked and cooked in an alkaline solution, usually limewater (but sometimes aqueous alkali metal carbonates), washed, and then hulled. The ter ...

(definition): from ;

Nopal Nopal (from the Nahuatl word for the pads of the plant) is a common name in Spanish for ''Opuntia'' cacti (commonly referred to in English as ''prickly pear''), as well as for its pads. There are about 114 known species in Mexico, where it i ...

(definition): from , 'prickly pear cactus', via American Spanish ; Ocelot (definition): from 'jaguar', via French ;

Ocotillo ''Fouquieria splendens'' (commonly known as ocotillo (), but also referred to as buggywhip, coachwhip, candlewood, slimwood, desert coral, Jacob's staff, Jacob cactus, and vine cactus) is a plant indigenous to the Sonoran Desert and Chihuahuan ...

(definition): from ''ocotl'' 'pine, torch made of pine', via Mexican Spanish ''ocote'' + diminutive -''illo'' ; Peyote (definition): from . Nahuatl probably borrowed the root from another language, but the source is not known. ;

Pinole Pinole, also called pinol or pinolillo, is roasted ground maize, which is then mixed with a combination of cocoa, agave, cinnamon, chia seeds, vanilla, or other spices. The resulting powder is then used as a nutrient-dense ingredient to make d ...

(definition): from , via Spanish ; Quetzal (definition): from , ' quetzal feather'. ;

Sapodilla ''Manilkara zapota'', commonly known as sapodilla (), sapote, naseberry, nispero or chicle, is a long-lived, evergreen tree native to southern Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. An example natural occurrence is in coastal Yucatán in the ...

(definition): from ;

Sapota ''Manilkara zapota'', commonly known as sapodilla (), sapote, naseberry, nispero or chicle, is a long-lived, evergreen tree native to southern Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. An example natural occurrence is in coastal Yucatán in the ...

(definition): from ; Shack (definition): possibly from , 'grass hut', by way of

Mexican Spanish Mexican Spanish ( es, español mexicano) is the variety of dialects and sociolects of the Spanish language spoken in Mexican territory. Mexico has the largest number of Spanish speakers, with more than twice as many as in any other country in ...

. ;

Sotol Sotol is a distilled spirit from the Chihuahuan desert northern Mexico, western Texas sourced from the family of Asparagaceae; the genus Dasylirion and several species, most commonly: ''Dasylirion wheeleri'', Dasylirion durangense, ''Dasyliri ...

(definition): from ;

Tamale A tamale, in Spanish tamal, is a traditional Mesoamerican dish made of masa, a dough made from nixtamalized corn, which is steamed in a corn husk or banana leaf. The wrapping can either be discarded prior to eating or used as a plate. Tam ...

(definition): from , via Spanish ''tamal''. The Spanish plural is ''tamales'', and the English derives from a false singular ''tamale''. ;

Tequila Tequila (; ) is a distilled beverage made from the blue agave plant, primarily in the area surrounding the city of Tequila northwest of Guadalajara, and in the Jaliscan Highlands ('' Los Altos de Jalisco'') of the central western Mexican s ...

: from 'work' + 'place' ;

Tlacoyo A tlacoyo is an oval-shaped Mexican dish of pre-Hispanic origin made of masa. Tlacoyos are thicker than fresh corn tortillas and are stuffed with cheese, fava beans, cooked ground beans, chicharron, and other ingredients before being fried o ...

(definition): from ;

Tomato The tomato is the edible berry of the plant ''Solanum lycopersicum'', commonly known as the tomato plant. The species originated in western South America, Mexico, and Central America. The Mexican Nahuatl word gave rise to the Spanish word ...

(definition): from , via Spanish ''tomate''. The change from ''tomate'' to ''tomato'' was likely influenced by the spelling of ''potato'' ;

Tule ''Schoenoplectus acutus'' ( syn. ''Scirpus acutus, Schoenoplectus lacustris, Scirpus lacustris'' subsp. ''acutus''), called tule , common tule, hardstem tule, tule rush, hardstem bulrush, or viscid bulrush, is a giant species of sedge in the pl ...

(definition): from , 'reed, bulrush'

Words from Quechua

:''Unless otherwise specified
Words in English from Amerindian Languages
is among the sources used for each etymology'' A number of words from

Quechua Quechua may refer to: *Quechua people, several indigenous ethnic groups in South America, especially in Peru *Quechuan languages, a Native South American language family spoken primarily in the Andes, derived from a common ancestral language **So ...

have entered English, mostly via Spanish, adopting Hispanicized spellings. ;

Ayahuasca AyahuascaPronounced as in the UK and in the US. Also occasionally known in English as ''ayaguasca'' ( Spanish-derived), ''aioasca'' (Brazilian Portuguese-derived), or as ''yagé'', pronounced or . Etymologically, all forms but ''yagé'' desce ...

(definition): from ''aya'' "corpse" and ''waska'' "rope", via Spanish ; Cachua (definition): from ''qhachwa'' ; Chinchilla (definition): possibly from Quechua. May be from Spanish ''chinche'' ; Chuño (definition): from ''ch'uñu'' ;

Coca Coca is any of the four cultivated plants in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America. Coca is known worldwide for its psychoactive alkaloid, cocaine. The plant is grown as a cash crop in the Argentine Northwest, Bolivia, ...

(definition): from ''kuka'', via Spanish ;

Cocaine Cocaine (from , from , ultimately from Quechua: ''kúka'') is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant mainly used recreationally for its euphoric effects. It is primarily obtained from the leaves of two Coca species native to South Ameri ...

(definition): from ''kuka'' (see above), probably via French ;

Condor Condor is the common name for two species of New World vultures, each in a monotypic genus. The name derives from the Quechua ''kuntur''. They are the largest flying land birds in the Western Hemisphere. They are: * The Andean condor (''Vu ...

(definition): from ''kuntur'', via Spanish ;

Gran Chaco The Gran Chaco or Dry Chaco is a sparsely populated, hot and semiarid lowland natural region of the Río de la Plata basin, divided among eastern Bolivia, western Paraguay, northern Argentina, and a portion of the Brazilian states of Mato ...

(definition): from ''chaku'', "hunt" ;

Guanaco The guanaco (; ''Lama guanicoe'') is a camelid native to South America, closely related to the llama. Guanacos are one of two wild South American camelids, the other being the vicuña, which lives at higher elevations. Etymology The guanaco ...

(definition): from ''wanaku'' ; Guano (definition): from ''wanu'' via Spanish ;

Inca The Inca Empire (also known as the Incan Empire and the Inka Empire), called ''Tawantinsuyu'' by its subjects, (Quechua for the "Realm of the Four Parts", "four parts together" ) was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The admin ...

(definition): from ''Inka'' "lord, king" ;

Jerky Jerky is lean trimmed meat cut into strips and dried (dehydrated) to prevent spoilage. Normally, this drying includes the addition of salt to prevent bacteria growth before the meat has finished the dehydrating process. The word "jerky" derive ...

(definition): from ''ch'arki'', via Spanish ;

Lagniappe A lagniappe ( , ) is "a small gift given to a customer by a merchant at the time of a purchase" (such as a 13th doughnut on purchase of a dozen), or more broadly, "something given or obtained gratuitously or by way of good measure." It can be u ...

(definition): from ''yapay'', "add, addition", via Spanish (with the

definite article An article is any member of a class of dedicated words that are used with noun phrases to mark the identifiability of the referents of the noun phrases. The category of articles constitutes a part of speech. In English, both "the" and "a(n)" a ...

''la''). ;

Lima Lima ( ; ), originally founded as Ciudad de Los Reyes (City of The Kings) is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín Rivers, in the desert zone of the central coastal part of ...

(definition): from ''rimay'', "speak" (from the name of the city, named for the ''Rimaq'' river ("speaking river")) ;

Llama The llama (; ) (''Lama glama'') is a domesticated South American camelid, widely used as a meat and pack animal by Andean cultures since the Pre-Columbian era. Llamas are social animals and live with others as a herd. Their wool is soft ...

(definition): from ''llama'', via Spanish ;

Lucuma ''Pouteria lucuma'' is a species of tree in the family Sapotaceae, cultivated for its fruit, the lúcuma. It is native to the Andean valleys of Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, and Peru. Description This evergreen tree is up to 20 m tall, and has greyi ...

(definition): from ''lukuma'', via Spanish ;

Mashua ''Tropaeolum tuberosum'' (mashua, see below for other names) is a species of flowering plant in the family Tropaeolaceae, grown in the Andes, particularly in Peru and Bolivia, and to a lesser extent in Ecuador as well as in some areas of Colombi ...

(definition): from ''maswa'' ; Pampa (definition): from ''pampa'', "a large plain", via Spanish ;

Pisco Pisco is a colorless or yellowish-to-amber colored brandy produced in winemaking regions of Peru and Chile. Made by distilling fermented grape juice into a high-proof spirit, it was developed by 16th-century Spanish settlers as an alternative ...

(definition): from ''pisqu'', "bird" ; Puma (definition): from ''puma'', via Spanish ;

Quinine Quinine is a medication used to treat malaria and babesiosis. This includes the treatment of malaria due to '' Plasmodium falciparum'' that is resistant to chloroquine when artesunate is not available. While sometimes used for nocturnal le ...

(definition): from ''kinakina'', via Spanish ;

Quinoa Quinoa (''Chenopodium quinoa''; , from Quechua ' or ') is a flowering plant in the amaranth family. It is a herbaceous annual plant grown as a crop primarily for its edible seeds; the seeds are rich in protein, dietary fiber, B vitamins, a ...

(definition): from ''kinwa'', via Spanish ;

Quipu ''Quipu'' (also spelled ''khipu'') are recording devices fashioned from strings historically used by a number of cultures in the region of Andean South America. A ''quipu'' usually consisted of cotton or camelid fiber strings. The Inca people ...

(definition): from ''khipu'', via Spanish ;Soroche (definition): from ''suruqchi'' or ''suruqch'i'', "

Altitude sickness Altitude sickness, the mildest form being acute mountain sickness (AMS), is the harmful effect of high altitude, caused by rapid exposure to low amounts of oxygen at high elevation. People can respond to high altitude in different ways. Sympt ...

" ;

Vicuña The vicuña (''Lama vicugna'') or vicuna (both , very rarely spelled ''vicugna'', its former genus name) is one of the two wild South American camelids, which live in the high alpine areas of the Andes, the other being the guanaco, which live ...

(definition): from ''wik'uña'', via Spanish ;

Viscacha Viscacha or vizcacha (, ) are rodents of two genera ('' Lagidium'' and ''Lagostomus'') in the family Chinchillidae. They are native to South America and convergently resemble rabbits. The five extant species of viscacha are: *The plains visc ...

(definition): from ''wisk'acha'', via Spanish

Words from Eskimo–Aleut languages

;

Anorak A parka or anorak is a type of coat with a hood, often lined with fur or faux fur. This kind of garment is a staple of Inuit clothing, traditionally made from caribou or seal skin, for hunting and kayaking in the frigid Arctic. Some Inuit ...

Words from Algonquian languages

Words from Nahuatl

Words from Quechua

Words from Eskimo–Aleut languages

Words from Arawakan languages Arawakan (''Arahuacan, Maipuran Arawakan, "mainstream" Arawakan, Arawakan proper''), also known as Maipurean (also ''Maipuran, Maipureano, Maipúre''), is a language family that developed among ancient indigenous peoples in South America. Branc ...

Words from Tupi-Guaraní

Words from other indigenous languages of the Americas

See also

References

Bibliography

External links

Words from
Arawakan languages Arawakan (''Arahuacan, Maipuran Arawakan, "mainstream" Arawakan, Arawakan proper''), also known as Maipurean (also ''Maipuran, Maipureano, Maipúre''), is a language family that developed among ancient indigenous peoples in South America. Branc ...