List of English words from Indigenous languages of the Americas
This is a list of English language words borrowed from Indigenous languages of the Americas, either directly or through intermediate European languages such as Spanish or French. 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 names for indigenous flora and fauna, or describe items of Native Americans in [the United States|Native American] or First Nations 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, who lived 2,000 miles east of that tree's range, while the kinkajou of South America was given a name from the unrelated North American wolverine.
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 are of Algonquian origin, for example: Mississippi and 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, Winnebago, Sioux, Assiniboine and Chipewyan.
;Apishamore (definition): From a word in an Algonquian language meaning "something to lie down upon".
;Atamasco lily (definition): Earlier "attamusca", from Powhatan.
;Babiche (definition): From Míkmaq ápapíj.
;Caucus (definition): The etymology is disputed: two possible sources are an Algonquian word for "counsel", 'cau´-cau-as´u'; or the Algonquian cawaassough, meaning an advisor, talker, or orator.
;Chinkapin (definition): From Powhatan chechinquamins, reconstituted as, the plural form.
;Chipmunk (definition): Originally "chitmunk," from Odawa jidmoonh , "American red squirrel".
;Cisco (definition): Originally "siscowet," from Ojibwe language bemidewiskaawed "greasy-bodied ".
;Cockarouse (definition): From Powhatan, meaning a leader in certain Native American groups.
;Eskimo (definition): From Old Montagnais aiachkimeou, meaning "snowshoe-netter", and originally used to refer to the Mikmaq.
;Hickory (definition): From Powhatan
;Hominy (definition): From Powhatan
;Husky (definition): Ultimately from a variant form of the word "Eskimo".
;Kinkajou (definition): From an Algonquian word meaning "wolverine", through French quincajou.
;Kinnikinnick (definition): From Unami Delaware, "mixture", from Proto-Algonquian *kereken-, "mix with something different by hand".
;Mackinaw (definition): From michilmackinac, from Menomini mishilimaqkināhkw, "be large like a snapping turtle", or from Ojibwe mishi-makinaak, "large snapping turtle" with French -ile-, "island".
;Moccasin (definition): From an Algonquian language, perhaps Powhatan
;Moose (definition): From Abenaki language|Eastern Abenaki] moz, reinforced by cognates from other Algonquian languages, from Proto-Algonquian *mo·swa.
;Mugwump (definition): From "mugquomp", a shortening of Massachusett
;Muskellunge (definition): Ultimately from Ojibwe maashkinoozhe, "ugly pike".
;Muskeg (definition): From Cree maskēk, "swamp".
;Muskrat (definition): A folk-etymologized reshaping of earlier "musquash", from Massachusett, apparently from Proto-Algonquian *mo·šk, "bob.
;Opossum (definition): From Powhatan
;Papoose (definition): From Narragansett
;Pecan (definition): From Illinois pakani, "nut", from Proto-Algonquian *paka·ni.
;Pemmican (definition): From Cree pimihkān, from pimihkēw, "to make grease".
;Persimmon (definition): From Powhatan
;Pipsissewa (definition): From Abenaki kpipskwáhsawe, "flower of the woods".
;Pokeweed (definition): Probably from "puccoon" + "weed".
;Pone (definition): From Powhatan
;Powwow (definition): From Narragansett powwaw, "shaman".
;Puccoon (definition): From Powhatan
;Pung: A low box-like sleigh designed for one horse. Shortened form of "tom-pung" from an Algonquian language of Southern New England.
;Punkie (definition): Via Dutch, from Munsee .
;Quahog (definition): From Narragansett
;Quonset hut (definition): From an Algonquian language of southern New England, possibly meaning "small long place".
;Raccoon (definition): From Powhatan
;Sachem (definition): From an Algonquian language of southern New England, cf. Narragansett
;Sagamore (definition): From Eastern Abenaki sakəma, "chief", from Proto-Eastern Algonquian *sākimāw.
;Scup (definition): Shortened from scuppaug, which is from Narragansett mishcùppaûog.
;Shoepac (definition): From Unami Delaware "shoes", altered on analogy with English "shoe".
;Skunk (definition): From Massachusett
;Squash (fruit) (definition): From Narragansett
;Squaw (definition): From Massachusett
;Succotash (definition): From Narragansett
;Tabagie (definition): From Algonquin tabaguia.
;Tautog (definition): From Narragansett tautaũog.
;Terrapin (definition): Originally "torope," from an Eastern Algonquian language, perhaps Powhatan , from Proto-Eastern Algonquian *tōrəpēw.
;Toboggan (definition): From Míkmaq topaqan or Maliseet-Passamaquoddy .
;Tomahawk (definition): From Powhatan
;Totem (definition): From Ojibwe nindoodem, "my totem" or odoodeman, "his totem," referring to a kin group.
;Tuckahoe (definition): From Powhatan
;Tullibee (definition): From Old Ojibwe .
;Wampum (definition): Earlier "wampumpeag", from Massachusett, and meaning "white strings ", from Proto-Algonquian *wa·p-, "white" + *-a·py-, "string-like object" + *-aki, plural.
;Wanigan (definition): From Ojibwa waanikaan, "storage pit".
;Wapiti (definition): From Shawnee waapiti, "white rump", from Proto-Algonquian *wa·petwiya, from *wa·p-, "white" + *-etwiy, "rump".
;Wickiup (definition): From Fox wiikiyaapi, from the same Proto-Algonquian etymon as "wigwam".
;Wigwam (definition): From Eastern Abenaki wìkəwam, from Proto-Algonquian *wi·kiwa·Hmi.
;Woodchuck (definition): Reshaped on analogy with "wood" and "chuck", from an Algonquian language of southern New England.
Words from Nahuatl
Words of Nahuatl origin have entered many European languages. Mainly they have done so via Spanish. Most words of Nahuatl origin end in a form of the Nahuatl "absolutive suffix", which marked unpossessed nouns.;Achiote (definition): from āchiotl
;Atlatl (definition): from ahtlatl
;Atole (definition): from atōlli
;Avocado (definition): from āhuacatl, 'avocado' or 'testicle', via Spanish aguacate and later avocado
;Axolotl (definition): āxōlōtl, via Spanish, ultimately from ā-, 'water' + xōlōtl, 'male servant'
;Aztec (definition): from aztecatl 'coming from Aztlan', via Spanish Azteca
;Cacao (definition) and Cocoa (definition): from cacahuatl
;Chayote (definition): from chayohtli
;Chia (definition): from chiyan
;Chicle (definition): from tzictli
;Chili (definition): from chīlli
;Chipotle (definition): from chilpoctli 'smoked chili', from chili + poctli 'smoke'
;Chocolate (definition): Often said to be from Nahuatl xocolātl or chocolātl, which would be derived from xococ 'bitter' and ātl 'water'. However, the form xocolātl is not directly attested, and chocolatl does not appear in Nahuatl until the mid-18th century. Some researchers have recently proposed that the chocol- element was originally chicol-, and referred to a special wooden stick used to prepare chocolate.
;Copal (definition): from copalli
;Coyote (definition): from coyōtl via Spanish
;Elote (definition): from ēlōtl via Spanish
;Epazote (definition): from epazōtl
;Guacamole (definition): from āhuacamōlli, from āhuaca-, 'avocado', and mōlli, 'sauce', via Mexican Spanish
;Hoatzin (definition): from huāctzin
;Jicama (definition): from xicamatl
;Mesquite (definition): from mizquitl, via Spanish mezquite
;Mezcal (definition): from mexcalli metl and ixcalli which mean 'oven cooked agave.'
;Mole (definition): from mōlli, 'sauce'
;Nixtamalization (definition): from nixtamalli
;Nopal (definition): from nohpalli, 'prickly pear cactus', via American Spanish
;Ocelot (definition): from ocēlōtl 'jaguar', via French
; Ocotillo (definition): from ocotl 'pine, torch made of pine', via Mexican Spanish ocote + diminutive -illo
;Peyote (definition): from peyōtl. Nahuatl probably borrowed the root peyō- from another language, but the source is not known.
;Pinole (definition): from pinolli, via Spanish
;Quetzal (definition): from quetzalli, 'quetzal feather'.
;Sapodilla (definition): from tzapocuahuitl
;Sapota (definition): from tzapotl
;Shack (definition): possibly from xahcalli, 'grass hut', by way of Mexican Spanish.
;Sotol (definition): from tzotolli
;Tamale (definition): from tamalli, via Spanish tamal. The Spanish plural is tamales, and the English derives from a false singular tamale.
;Tequila: from téquitl 'work' + tlan 'place'
;Tlacoyo (definition): from tlahtlaōyoh
;Tomato (definition): from tomatl, via Spanish tomate. The change from tomate to tomato was likely influenced by the spelling of potato
;Tule (definition): from tōllin, 'reed, bulrush'
Words from Quechua
A number of words from Quechua have entered English, mostly via Spanish, adopting Hispanicized spellings.;Ayahuasca (definition): from aya "corpse" and waska "rope", via Spanish ayahuasca
;Cachua (definition): from qhachwa
;Chinchilla(definition): possibly from Quechua. May be from Spanish chinche
;Chuño (definition): from ch'uñu
;Coca (definition): from kuka, via Spanish coca
;Cocaine (definition): from kuka, probably via French cocaïne
;Condor (definition): from kuntur, via Spanish cóndor
;Gran Chaco (definition): from chaku, "hunt"
;Guanaco (definition): from wanaku
;Guano (definition): from wanu via Spanish guano
;Inca (definition): from Inka "lord, king"
;Jerky (definition): from ch'arki, via Spanish charquí
;Lagniappe (definition): from yapay, "add, addition", via Spanish la yapa.
;Lima (definition): from rimay, "speak"
;Llama (definition): from llama, via Spanish
;Lucuma (definition): from lukuma, via Spanish
;Mashua (definition): from maswa
;Pampa (definition): from pampa, "a large plain", via Spanish
;Pisco (definition): from pisqu, "bird"
;Puma (definition): from puma, via Spanish
;Quinine (definition): from kinakina, via Spanish quina
;Quinoa (definition): from kinwa, via Spanish quinoa
;Quipu (definition): from khipu, via Spanish quipo
;Soroche (definition): from suruqchi or suruqch'i, "Altitude sickness"
;Vicuña (definition): from wik'uña, via Spanish vicuña
;Viscacha (definition): from wisk'acha, via Spanish vizcacha
Words from Eskaleut languages
; Anorak (definition): from Greenlandic Inuit annoraaq; Chimo (definition): from the Inuktitut word saimo
; Ilanaaq (definition): Inuktitut ilanaaq, "friend". Name of the logo for the 2010 Winter Olympics
; Inuksuk (definition): from Inuktitut inuksuk
; Kayak (definition): from Inuktitut qajaq
; Malamute (definition): from Inupiaq Malimiut, the name of an Inupiaq subgroup
; Mukluk (definition): from Yupik maklak, "bearded seal"
; Nanook (definition): from Inuktitut word for polar bear Nanuq, "polar bear", made famous in English due to a 1922 documentary Nanook of the North, featuring a man with this name.
; Nunatak (definition): from Greenlandic Inuit nunataq
; Tiktaalik (definition): from Inuktitut tiktaalik, "large freshwater fish"
; Umiaq (definition)
Words from Arawakan languages
;Anole (definition): from an Arawakan language, or possibly Cariban, via French anolis.;Barbecue (definition): from an Arawakan language of Haiti barbakoa, "framework of sticks", via Spanish barbacoa.
;Buccaneer (definition): from an Arawakan language buccan, "a wooden frame on which Taínos and Caribs slowly roasted or smoked meat", via French boucane.
;Cacique or cassique (definition): from Taíno cacike or Arawak kassequa "chieftain"
;Caiman (definition): from a Ta-Maipurean language, "water spirit", though possibly ultimately of African origin.
;Canoe (definition): from Taíno via Spanish canoa.
;Cassava (definition): from Taíno caçabi, "manioc meal", via Spanish or Portuguese.
;Cay (definition): from Taíno, via Spanish cayo.
;Guaiac (definition): from Taíno guayacan via Spanish and Latin.
;Guava (definition): from an Arawakan language, by way of Spanish guayaba.
;Hammock (definition): from Taíno, via Spanish hamaca.
;Hurricane (definition): from Taíno hurakán, via Spanish.
;Iguana (definition): from an Arawakan language iwana.
;Macana (definition): from Taíno macana via Spanish.
;Maize (definition): from Taíno mahís, via Spanish.
;Mangrove (definition): from Taíno, via Spanish mangle or Portuguese mangue.
;Papaya (definition): from Taíno.
;Potato (definition): from Taíno or Haitian Carib batata 'sweet potato', via Spanish patata.
;Savanna (definition): from Taíno zabana, via Spanish.
;Tobacco (definition): probably from an Arawakan language, via.
;Yuca (definition): from Taíno, via Spanish.
Words from Tupi-Guaraní
;Acai (definition): from Tupi *ɨβasaí, via Brazilian Portuguese assaí, uaçaí, açaí.;Ani (definition): from Tupi *anúʔí.
;Agouti (definition): from Tupi–Guaraní akutí, via Portuguese aguti through French.
;Cashew (definition): from Tupí acaîu, via Portuguese caju.
;Capybara (definition): from Guaraní kapibári 'the grass eater ' via Portuguese capivara through French.
;Catupiry (definition): from Guaraní katupyry via Brazilian Portuguese.
;Cayenne (definition): from Tupí kyinha via French.
;Cougar (definition): ultimately corrupted from Guaraní guaçu ara.
;Jaguar (definition): from Tupi language|Tupinambá] via Portuguese jaguar through French,.
;Jaguarundi (definition): from Guaraní via Portuguese.
;Maraca (definition): from Tupí maraka via Portuguese.
;Macaw (definition): via Portuguese Macau from Tupi macavuana, which may be the name of a type of palm tree the fruit of which the birds eat.
;Manioc (definition): from Tupinambá via Portuguese manioca through French.
;Petunia (definition): from Tupí petun 'smoke' via Portuguese.
;Piranha (definition): from Tupí pirã́ja, pirã́nʸa, from pirá 'fish' + ã́ja, ã́nʸa 'tooth', via Portuguese.
;Seriema (definition):from Tupinambá siriema 'the crested one' via Portuguese
;Tapioca (definition): from Tupinambá 'juice squeezed out', from tipi 'residue, dregs' + og, ok 'to squeeze out', via Portuguese.
;Tapir (definition): from Tupinambá via Portuguese tapir through French.
;Tegu (definition): from Tupinambá teiú-guaçú 'big lizard' via Portuguese teiú
;Toucan (definition): from Tupinambá via Portuguese tucano through French, via Portuguese and French.
Words from other indigenous languages of the Americas
;Abalone (definition): from Rumsen awlun and Ohlone aluan, via Spanish abulón.;Alpaca (definition): from Aymara allpaka, via Spanish.
;Appaloosa (definition): 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".
;Barracuda (definition): from Spanish, perhaps originally from Carib.
;Bayou (definition): from early Choctaw bayuk, "creek, river", via French.
;Camas (definition): from Nez Perce .
;Cannibal (definition): via Spanish Caníbalis, from a Cariban language, meaning "person, Indian",, based on the Spaniards' belief that the Caribs ate human flesh.
;Catalpa (definition): from Creek katałpa "head-wing", with ká, "head" + táłpa, "wing".
;Cenote (definition): from Yucatec Maya dzonot or ts'onot meaning "well".
;Cheechako (definition): from Chinook Jargon chee + chako, "new come". Chee comes from Lower Chinook čxi, "straightaway", and for chako cf. Nuuchahnulth čokwaa, "come!"
;Chicha: via Spanish from Guna chichab, "maize" or from Nahuatl chichiatl, "fermented water."
;Chinook (definition): from Lower Chehalis, the name of a village, via Chinook Trade Jargon.
;Chuckwalla (definition): from Cahuilla čáxwal.
;Coho (definition): from Halkomelem k̉ʷə́xʷəθ.
;Coontie (definition): from Creek conti hetaka.
;Coypu (definition): from Mapudungun coipu, via American Spanish coipú.
;Degu (definition): from Mapudungun deuñ, via Spanish.
;Divi-divi (definition): from Cumanagoto.
;Dory (definition): from Miskito dóri, dúri.
;Eulachon (definition): from a Cree adaptation of Chinook Trade Jargon ulâkân, itself a borrowing of Clatsap u-tlalxwə, "brook trout".
;Gaucho (definition): via Spanish, probably from a South American indigenous language, cf. Araucanian cauchu 'wanderer'.
;Geoduck (definition): from Lushootseed gʷídəq.
;Guan (definition): from Guna kwama.
;High muckamuck (definition): from Chinook Jargon, "eat, food, drink", of unknown origin.
;Hogan (definition): from Navajo hooghan.
;Hooch (definition): a shortening of "Hoochinoo", the name of a Tlingit village, from Tlingit xutsnuuwú, "brown bear fort".
;Kachina (definition): from Hopi katsína, "spirit being".
;Jojoba (definition): via Spanish, from some Uto-Aztecan language, cf. O'odham hohowai and Yaqui hohoovam.
;Kiva (definition): from Hopi kíva.
;Kokanee (definition): perhaps from Twana kəknǽxw.
;Manatee (definition): via Spanish manatí, from a word in a Cariban language meaning " breast".
;Ohunka: from Lakota "false", "untrue".
;Peccary (definition): from Galilbi Carib pakira.
;Piki (definition): from Hopi.
;Pogonip (definition): from Shoshone , "fog".
;Poncho (definition): from Mapudungun pontho "woolen fabric", via Spanish.
;Potlatch (definition): from Nuuchahnulth p̉aƛp̉ač via Chinook Jargon.
;Salal (definition): from Chinook Trade Jargon, from Lower Chinook salál.
;Saguaro (definition): via Spanish, from some indigenous language, possibly Opata.
;Sasquatch (definition): From Halkomelem.
;Sego (definition): from Ute-Southern Paiute .
;Sequoia (definition): from a Cherokee personal name,
;Sockeye (definition): from Halkomelem.
;Skookum (definition): from Chinook Jargon, "powerful, supernaturally dangerous", from Lower Chehalis skʷəkʷə́m, "devil, anything evil, spirit monster".
;Tamarin (definition): from a Cariban language, via French.
;Tipi (definition): from Lakota thípi, "house".
;Tupelo (definition): Perhaps from Creek ’topilwa, "swamp-tree", from íto, "tree" + opílwa, "swamp".
;Wapatoo (definition): from Chinook Jargon, "arrowroot, wild potato", from Upper Chinook, a noun prefix +, which comes from Kalapuyan, "wild potato".
;Wakinyan (definition): from Lakota wa, "people/things" + kiŋyaŋ, "to fly".
;Yaupon (definition): from Catawba yąpą, from yą, "wood/tree" + pą, "leaf".