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

Words From Other Indigenous Languages of The Americas

Abalone †

from Rumsen awlun and Ohlone aluan, via Spanish abulón.

Alpaca †

from Aymara allpaka, via Spanish.

Appaloosa †

Either named for the Palouse River, whose name comes from Sahaptin palú:s, "what is standing up in the water"; or for Opelousas, Louisiana, which may come from Choctaw api losa, "black body".

Bayou †

from early Choctaw bayuk, "creek, river", via French.

Camas †

from Nez Perce qémʼes.

Cannibal †

via Spanish Caníbalis, from a Cariban language, meaning "person, Indian", (Proto-Cariban *karípona), based on the Spaniards' belief that the Caribs ate human flesh.

Catalpa †

from Creek katałpa "head-wing", with (i)ká, "head" + (i)táłpa, "wing".

Cenote †

from Yucatec Maya dzonot or ts'onot meaning "well"

Cheechako †

from Chinook Jargon chee + chako, "new come". Chee comes from Lower Chinook čxi, "straightaway", and for chako c.f. Nuuchahnulth čokwaa, "come!"

Chicha

via Spanish from Kuna chichab, "maize" or from Nahuatl chichiatl, "fermented water."

Chinook †

from Lower Chehalis tsʼinúk, the name of a village, via Chinook Trade Jargon.

Chuckwalla †

from Cahuilla čáxwal.

Coho †

from Halkomelem k̉ʷə́xʷəθ .

Coontie †

from Creek conti hetaka.

Coypu †

from Mapudungun kóypu.

Divi-divi †

from Cumanagoto.

Dory †

from Miskito dóri, dúri.

Eulachon †

from a Cree adaptation of Chinook Trade Jargon ulâkân, itself a borrowing of Clatsap u-tlalxwə(n), "brook trout".

Geoduck †

from Lushootseed (Nisqually) gʷídəq.

Guan †

from Kuna.

High muckamuck †

from Chinook Jargon, "eat, food, drink", of unknown origin.

Hogan †

from Navajo hooghan.

Hooch †

a shortening of "Hoochinoo", the name of a Tlingit village, from Tlingit xutsnuuwú, "brown bear fort".

Kachina †

from Hopi katsína, "spirit being".

Kiva †

from Hopi kíva (containing ki-, "house").

Kokanee †

perhaps from Twana kəknǽxw.

Manatee †

via Spanish manatí, from a word in a Cariban language meaning "(woman's) breast".

Ohunka

from Lakota "false", "untrue".

Piki †

from Hopi.

Pogonip †

from Shoshone /pakɨnappɨ/, "fog".

Poncho †

via Spanish from Mapudungun pontho, "woolen fabric".

Potato

via Spanish patata from Haitian Carib batata="sweet potato"

Potlatch †

from Nuuchahnulth (Nootka) p̉aƛp̉ač (, reduplication of p̉a, "to make ceremonial gifts in potlatch", with the iterative suffix -č) via Chinook Jargon.

Salal †

from Chinook Trade Jargon, from Lower Chinook salál.

Saguaro †

via Spanish, from some indigenous language, possibly Opata.

Sasquatch †

From Halkomelem .

Sego †

from Ute-Southern Paiute /siˈkuʔa/ .

sequoia †

from a Cherokee personal name, , with no further known etymology.

Sockeye †

from Halkomelem /ˈsθəqəʔj/.

Skookum †

from Chinook Jargon, "powerful, supernaturally dangerous", from Lower Chehalis skʷəkʷə́m, "devil, anything evil, spirit monster".

Tamarin †

from a Cariban language, via French.

Tipi †

from Lakota thípi, "house".

Tupelo †

Perhaps from Creek ’topilwa, "swamp-tree", from íto, "tree" + opílwa, "swamp".

Wapatoo †

from Chinook Jargon, "arrowroot, wild potato", from Upper Chinook -, a noun prefix +, which comes from Kalapuyan, "wild potato".

Yaupon †

from Catawba yąpą, from yą, "wood/tree" + pą, "leaf".