List of English Words From Indigenous Languages of The Americas - Words From Algonquian Languages

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, a great number of place names in North America are Algonquian names, for example: Mississippi (cf. Illinois mihsisiipiiwi and Ojibwe misiziibi, "great river," referring to the Mississippi River) and Michigan (cf. Illinois meehcakamiwi, Ojibwe Mishigami, "great sea," referring to Lake Michigan). Even Canadian provinces and U.S. states, districts, counties and municipalities bear Algonquian names, such as Québec, Nantucket, Massachusetts, Naugatuck, Connecticut, Wyoming, District of Keewatin, Outagamie County, Wisconsin and Chicago, Illinois, or Algonquian-derived names, such as Algoma.

In addition, a number of Indigenous peoples of the Americas groups are known better by their Algonquian exonyms, rather than by their endonym, such as the Eskimo (see below), Winnebago (perhaps from Potawatomi winpyéko, "(people of the) dirty water"), Sioux (ultimately from Ottawa naadowesiwag), Assiniboine (Ojibwe asiniibwaan, "stone Sioux") and Chipewyan (Cree čīpwayān, "(those who have) pointed skins or hides").

Apishamore †

From a word in an Algonquian language meaning "something to lie down upon" (c.f. Ojibwe apishimon).

Atamasco lily †

Earlier "attamusca", from Powhatan.

Babiche †

From Míkmaq ápapíj (from ápapi, "cord, thread", Proto-Algonquian *aʔrapa·pyi, from *aʔrapy-, "net" + *-a·by-, "string".

Caribou †

From Míkmaq qalipu, "snow-shoveler" (from qalipi, "shovel snow", Proto-Algonquian *maka·ripi-).

Chinkapin †

From Powhatan chechinquamins, reconstituted as */t͡ʃiːht͡ʃiːnkweːmins/, the plural form.

Chipmunk †

Originally "chitmunk," from Odawa jidmoonh /t͡ʃɪtmő/ (c.f. Ojibwe ajidamoo(nh)), "red squirrel".

Cisco †

Originally "siscowet," from Ojibwe language bemidewiskaawed "greasy-bodied ".

Eskimo †

From Old Montagnais aiachkimeou (; modern ayassimēw), meaning "snowshoe-netter" (often incorrectly claimed to be from an Ojibwe word meaning "eaters of raw "), and originally used to refer to the Mikmaq.

Hackmatack †

From an Algonquian language akemantak (c.f. Ojibwe aagimaandag), "snowshoe boughs".

Hickory †

From Powhatan , "milky drink made with hickory nuts".

Hominy †

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

Husky †

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

Kinkajou †

From an Algonquian word meaning "wolverine" (c.f. Algonquin kwingwaage, Ojibwe gwiingwa'aage), through French quincajou.

Kinnikinnick †

From Unami Delaware /kələkːəˈnikːan/, "mixture" (c.f. Ojibwe giniginige "to mix something animate with something inanimate"), from Proto-Algonquian *kereken-, "mix (it) with something different by hand".

Mackinaw †

From michilmackinac, from Menomini mishilimaqkināhkw, "be large like a snapping turtle", or from Ojibwe mishi-makinaak, "large snapping turtle" with French -ile-, "island".

Moccasin †

From an Algonquian language, perhaps Powhatan , reconstituted as */mahkesen/(c.f. Ojibwe makizin, Míkmaq mɨkusun, from Proto-Algonquian *maxkeseni).

Moose †

From Eastern Abenaki moz, reinforced by cognates from other Algonquian languages (e.g. Massachusett/Narragansett moos, Ojibwe moo(n)z, Lenape mus 'elk'), from Proto-Algonquian *mo·swa.

Mugwump †

From "mugquomp", a shortening of Massachusett , "war chief" (Proto-Algonquian *memekwa·pe·wa, from *memekw-, "swift" + *-a·pe·, "man").

Muskellunge †

Ultimately from Ojibwe maashkinoozhe, "ugly pike" (c.f. ginoozhe, "pike").

Muskeg †

From Cree maskēk, "swamp" (Proto-Algonquian *maškye·kwi).

Muskrat †

A folk-etymologized reshaping of earlier "musquash", from Massachusett (c.f. Western Abenaki mòskwas), apparently from Proto-Algonquian *mo·šk, "bob (at the surface of the water)" + *-exkwe·-, "head" + a derivational ending).

Opossum †

From Powhatan //, "white dog-like animal", reconstituted as */aːpassem/ (c.f. Proto-Algonquian *waːp-aʔθemwa, "white dog").

Papoose †

From Narragansett or Massachusett , "baby".

Pecan †

From Illinois pakani (c.f. Ojibwe bagaan), "nut", from Proto-Algonquian *paka·ni.

Pemmican †

From Cree pimihkān, from pimihkēw, "to make grease" (Proto-Algonquian *pemihke·wa, from *pemy-, "grease" + -ehke·, "to make").

Persimmon †

From Powhatan /, reconstituted as */pessiːmin/. While the final element reflects Proto-Algonquian *-min, "fruit, berry", the initial is unknown.

Pipsissewa †

From Abenaki kpipskwáhsawe, "flower of the woods".

Pokeweed †

Probably from "puccoon" (see below) + "weed".

Pone †

From Powhatan /, "something roasted" (reconstituted as */apoːn/) (c.f. Ojibwe abwaan), from Proto-Algonquian *apwa·n.

Powwow †

From Narragansett powwaw, "shaman" (Proto-Algonquian *pawe·wa, "to dream, to have a vision").

Puccoon †

From Powhatan , reconstituted as */pakkan/ (c.f. Unami Delaware ).

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 †

Via Dutch, from Munsee (Proto-Algonquian *penkwehsa, from *penkw-, "dust, ashes" + *-ehs, a diminutive suffix).

Quahog †

From Narragansett .

Quonset hut †

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

Raccoon †

From Powhatan /, tentatively reconstituted as */aːreːhkan/.

Sachem †

From an Algonquian language of southern New England, c.f. Narragansett (Proto-Eastern Algonquian *sākimāw, "chief").

Sagamore †

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

Shoepac †

From Unami Delaware "shoes" (singular ), altered on analogy with English "shoe".

Skunk †

From Massachusett (Proto-Algonquian *šeka·kwa, from *šek-, "to urinate" + *-a·kw, "fox").

Squash (fruit) †

From Narragansett .

Squaw †

From Massachusett (c.f. Cree iskwē, Ojibwe ikwe), "woman", from Proto-Algonquian *eθkwe·wa.

Succotash †

From Narragansett , "boiled whole kernels of corn" (Proto-Algonquian *mesi·nkwete·wari, singular *mesi·nkwete·, from *mes-, "whole" + *-i·nkw-, "eye " + -ete·, "to cook").

Terrapin †

Originally "torope," from an Eastern Algonquian language, perhaps Powhatan (reconstituted as */toːrepeːw/) (c.f. Munsee Delaware /toːlpeːw/), from Proto-Eastern Algonquian *tōrəpēw.

Toboggan †

From Míkmaq topaqan or Maliseet-Passamaquoddy /tʰaˈpakən/ (Proto-Algonquian *weta·pye·kani, from *wet-, "to drag" + *-a·pye·-, "cordlike object" + *-kan, "instrument for").

Tomahawk †

From Powhatan (Proto-Algonquian *temaha·kani, from *temah-, "to cut" + *-a·kan, "instrument for").

Totem †

From Ojibwe nindoodem, "my totem" or odoodeman, "his totem," referring to a kin group.

Tuckahoe †

From Powhatan //, "root used for bread", reconstituted as */takwahahk/ (perhaps from Proto-Algonquian *takwah-, "pound (it)/reduce (it) to flour").

Tullibee †

From Old Ojibwe */otoːlipiː/ (modern odoonibii).

Wampum †

Earlier "wampumpeag", from Massachusett, and meaning "white strings " (c.f. Maliseet: wapapiyik, Eastern Abenaki wápapəyak, Ojibwe waabaabiinyag), from Proto-Algonquian *wa·p-, "white" + *-a·py-, "string-like object" + *-aki, plural.

Wanigan †

from Ojibwa waanikaan, "storage pit"

Wapiti (elk) †

From Shawnee waapiti, "white rump" (c.f. Ojibwe waabidiy), from Proto-Algonquian *wa·petwiya, from *wa·p-, "white" + *-etwiy, "rump".

Wickiup †

From Fox wiikiyaapi, from the same Proto-Algonquian etymon as "wigwam" (see below).

Wigwam †

From Eastern Abenaki wìkəwam (c.f. Ojibwe wiigiwaam), from Proto-Algonquian *wi·kiwa·Hmi.

Woodchuck †

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