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 are of Algonquian origin, for example:
Mississippi (cf. and , "great river," referring to the
Mississippi River) and
Michigan (cf. , , "great sea," referring to
Lake Michigan).
Canadian provinces and
U.S. states, districts, counties and municipalities bear Algonquian names, such as
Québec,
Ottawa,
Saskatchewan,
Nantucket,
Massachusetts,
Naugatuck,
Connecticut,
Wyoming,
District of Keewatin,
Outagamie County,
Wisconsin and
Chicago,
Illinois, or Algonquian-derived names, such as
Algoma. Furthermore, some
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 ),
Sioux (ultimately from ), ;
Apishamore (definition): From a word in an Algonquian language meaning "something to lie down upon" (cf.
Ojibwe ). ;
Babiche (definition): From
Míkmaq ápapíj (from
ápapi, "cord, thread",
Proto-Algonquian *aʔrapa·pyi, from
*aʔrapy-, "net" +
*-a·by-, "string". ;
Caribou (definition): From
Míkmaq qalipu, "snow-shoveler" (from
qalipi, "shovel snow",
Proto-Algonquian *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
Powhatan chechinquamins, reconstituted as , the plural form. ;
Chipmunk (definition): Originally "chitmunk," from
Odawa jidmoonh (cf.
Ojibwe ajidamoo(nh)), ;Cockarouse
(definition): From
Powhatan, meaning a leader in certain Native American groups. ;
Eskimo (definition): From
Old Montagnais aiachkimeou (; modern
ayassimēw), meaning "snowshoe-netter" (many times incorrectly claimed to be from an
Ojibwe word meaning "eaters of raw [meat]"), and originally used to refer to the
Mikmaq. ;
Hickory (definition): From
Powhatan , "milky drink made with hickory nuts". ;
Hominy (definition): From
Powhatan /, literally "that which is treated", in this case "that which is ground/beaten". ;
Husky (definition): Ultimately from a variant form of the word "Eskimo" (see above). ;
Kinkajou (definition): From an Algonquian word meaning "wolverine" (cf.
Algonquin kwingwaage,
Ojibwe ''gwiingwa'aage''), ;
Kinnikinnick (definition): From
Unami Delaware , "mixture" (cf. Ojibwe "to mix something animate with something inanimate"), ;
Mackinaw (definition): From , from
Menomini mishilimaqkināhkw, "be large like a snapping turtle", or from
Ojibwe mishi-makinaak, "large snapping turtle" with French , "island". ;
Moccasin (definition): From an Algonquian language, perhaps
Powhatan , reconstituted as (cf.
Ojibwe makizin, from
Proto-Algonquian *maxkeseni). ;
Moose (definition): From
Eastern Abenaki moz, reinforced by cognates from other Algonquian languages (e.g.
Massachusett/Narragansett moos,), from
Proto-Algonquian *mo·swa. ;
Muskellunge (definition): Ultimately from
Ojibwe , (
Proto-Algonquian *maškye·kwi). ;
Muskrat (definition): A
folk-etymologized reshaping of earlier "musquash", from
Massachusett (cf.
Western Abenaki mòskwas), apparently from
Proto-Algonquian *mo·šk, "bob (at the surface of the water)" +
*-exkwe·-, "head" + a derivational ending). reconstituted as (cf.
Proto-Algonquian '''', "white dog"). ;
Papoose (definition): From
Narragansett or
Massachusett , "baby". ;
Pecan (definition): From
Illinois pakani (cf.
Ojibwe bagaan), ;
Pemmican (definition): From
Cree pimihkān, from
pimihkēw, "to make grease" (
Proto-Algonquian *pemihke·wa, from
*pemy-, "grease" +
-ehke·, "to make"). ;
Persimmon (definition): From
Powhatan /, reconstituted as . While the final element reflects
Proto-Algonquian *-min, "fruit, berry", the initial is unknown. ;
Pipsissewa (definition): From
Abenaki kpipskwáhsawe, "flower of the woods". ;
Pokeweed (definition): Probably from "puccoon" (see below) + "weed". (cf.
Ojibwe abwaan), ;
Powwow (definition): From
Narragansett powwaw, "
shaman" (
Proto-Algonquian *pawe·wa, "to dream, to have a vision"). ;
Puccoon (definition): From
Powhatan , (cf.
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, from
Munsee (
Proto-Algonquian *penkwehsa, from
*penkw-, "dust, ashes" +
*-ehs, a
diminutive suffix). ;
Quahog (definition): From
Narragansett . ;
Quonset hut (definition): From an Algonquian language of southern New England, possibly meaning "small long place" (with , "long" + ,
diminutive + ,
locative). ;
Raccoon (definition): From
Powhatan /, tentatively reconstituted as . ;
Sachem (definition): From an Algonquian language of southern New England, cf.
Narragansett (
Proto-Eastern Algonquian *sākimāw, "chief"). ;
Sagamore (definition): From
Eastern Abenaki sakəma (cf. Narragansett ), "chief", from
Proto-Eastern Algonquian *sākimāw. ;
Shoepac (definition): From
Unami Delaware "shoes" (singular ), altered on
analogy with English "shoe". ;
Skunk (definition): From
Massachusett (
Proto-Algonquian *šeka·kwa, from
*šek-, "to urinate" +
*-a·kw, "fox"). ;
Squash (fruit) (definition): From
Narragansett . ;
Squaw (definition): From
Massachusett (cf.
Cree iskwē,
Ojibwe ikwe), ;
Tabagie (definition): From
Algonquin . ;
Tautog (definition): From
Narragansett tautaũog. ;
Terrapin (definition): Originally "torope," from an
Eastern Algonquian language, perhaps
Powhatan (reconstituted as ) (cf.
Munsee Delaware ), from
Proto-Eastern Algonquian *tōrəpēw. ;
Toboggan (definition): From
Míkmaq topaqan or Maliseet-Passamaquoddy (
Proto-Algonquian *weta·pye·kani, from
*wet-, "to drag" +
*-a·pye·-, "cordlike object" +
*-kan, "instrument for"). ;
Totem (definition): From
Ojibwe nindoodem, "my totem" or
odoodeman, "his totem," referring to a
kin group. ;
Tuckahoe (definition): From
Powhatan //, "root used for bread", reconstituted as (perhaps from
Proto-Algonquian *takwah-, "pound (it)/reduce (it) to flour"). ;
Tullibee (definition): From Old
Ojibwe (
modern odoonibii).
Eastern Abenaki wápapəyak,
Ojibwe waabaabiinyag), ;
Wanigan (definition): From
Ojibwa , "storage pit". ;
Wapiti (elk)
(definition): From
Shawnee waapiti, "white rump" (cf.
Ojibwe waabidiy), ;
Wickiup (definition): From
Fox wiikiyaapi, from the same
Proto-Algonquian etymon as "wigwam" (see below). ;
Wigwam (definition): From
Eastern Abenaki wìkəwam (cf.
Ojibwe wiigiwaam), ;
Woodchuck (definition): Reshaped on
analogy with "wood" and "chuck", from an Algonquian language of southern New England (cf.
Narragansett , "woodchuck"). ==Words from Nahuatl==