Indigenous American WORDS

Many common use words come from Native American languages. This is not a complete list.

Algonquin languages

Chipmunk †

Originally "chitmunk," from Odawa jidmoonh[13] /t͡ʃɪtmő/ (c.f. Ojibwe ajidamoo(nh)),[2] "red squirrel".

Eskimo †

From Old Montagnais <aiachkimeou> (/aːjast͡ʃimeːw/) (modern ayassimēw), meaning "snowshoe-netter" (often incorrectly claimed to be from an Ojibwe word meaning "eaters of raw [meat]"), and originally used to refer to the Mikmaq.[15][16]

Hickory †

From Powhatan <pocohiquara>, "milky drink made with hickory nuts".[17][18]

Moccasin †

From an Algonquian language, perhaps Powhatan <mockasin>,[23] reconstituted as */mahkesen/[24](c.f. Ojibwe makizin,[2] Míkmaq mɨkusun[25], from Proto-Algonquian *maxkeseni).[26]

Moose †

From Eastern Abenaki moz, reinforced by cognates from other Algonquian languages[27][28] (e.g. Massachusett/Narragansett moos,[28] Ojibwe moo(n)z,[2] Lenape mus 'elk'[29]), from Proto-Algonquian *mo·swa.[28]

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).[32]

Opossum †

From Powhatan <apasum>/<opussum>/<aposoum>, "white dog-like animal",[33] reconstituted as */aːpassem/[34] (c.f. Proto-Algonquian *waːp-aʔθemwa, "white dog").[35][36]

Papoose †

From Narragansett <papoòs>[37] or Massachusett <pappouse>, "baby".[38]

Powwow †

From Narragansett powwaw, "shaman" (Proto-Algonquian *pawe·wa, "to dream, to have a vision").[46]

Raccoon †

From Powhatan <arahkun>/<aroughcun>,[53] tentatively reconstituted as */aːreːhkan/.[54]

Skunk †

From Massachusett <squnck>[citation needed] (Proto-Algonquian *šeka·kwa, from *šek-, "to urinate" + *-a·kw, "fox").[58]

Squash (fruit) †

From Narragansett <askútasquash>.[59]

Succotash †

From Narragansett <msíckquatash>, "boiled whole kernels of corn" (Proto-Algonquian *mesi·nkwete·wari, singular *mesi·nkwete·, from *mes-, "whole" + *-i·nkw-, "eye [=kernel]" + -ete·, "to cook").[60]

Toboggan †

From Míkmaq topaqan[64] or Maliseet-Passamaquoddy /tʰaˈpakən/[65] (Proto-Algonquian *weta·pye·kani, from *wet-, "to drag" + *-a·pye·-, "cordlike object" + *-kan, "instrument for").[64]

Tomahawk †

From Powhatan <tamahaac> (Proto-Algonquian *temaha·kani, from *temah-, "to cut" + *-a·kan, "instrument for").[66]

Totem †

From Ojibwe nindoodem, "my totem" or odoodeman, "his totem," referring to a kin group.[67]

Nahuatl

Avocado †

from āhuacatl, "avocado" or "testicle"

Chili †

from chīlli

Chocolate †

Often said to be from Nahuatl xocolātl[37] or chocolātl,[80] which would be derived from xococ "bitter" and ātl "water" (with an irregular change of x > ch).[81] 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 special wooden stick used to prepare chocolate.[82]

Cacao † and cocoa †

from cacahuatl

Coyote †

from coyō

Tamale †

from tamalli

Tule †

from tōllin, "reed, bulrush"

Tomato †

from tomatl

Eskimo-Aleut languages

Igloo †

from Inuktitut iglu ([iɣlu])[91]

Kayak †

from Inuktitut qajaq[91]

Mukluk †

from Yupik maklak ([makɬak]), "Bearded Seal"[91]

Arawakan languages

Barbecue †

from an Arawakan language of Haiti barbakoa, "framework of sticks",[98] via Spanish barbacoa.[99]

Canoe †

from Taino via Spanish canoa.[104]

Hammock †

from Taino, via Spanish hamaca.[108]

Hurricane †

from Taino hurakán, via Spanish.[109]

Iguana †

from an Arawakan language iwana.[110][111]

Papaya †

from Taino.[115]

Potato †

from the Taino word for "sweet potato", via Spanish batata.[116]

Words from Tupi-Guaraní languages

Cashew †

from Tupí acaîu

Cayenne †

from Tupí kyinha.[122]

Cougar †

ultimately corrupted from Guaraní guaçu ara.[123]

Jaguar †

from Tupinambá /jaˈwar-/,[124] via Portuguese.[125]

Maraca †

from Tupí maraka

Macaw †

via Portuguese Macau from Tupi macavuana, which may be the name of a type of palm tree the fruit of which the birds eat.[126]

Petunia †

from Tupí petun 'smoke'

Piranha †

from Tupí.[127]

Tapioca †

from Tupinambá /tɨpɨˈʔok-a/,[124] "juice squeezed out".[128]

Toucan †

from Tupinambá /tuˈkan-/,[124] via Portuguese and French.[129]

Words from Quechua

Condor †

from kuntur, via Spanish condor

Jerky †

from ch'arki, via Spanish charquí

Quinoa †

from kinwa

Sahaptin languages

(northwestern plateau along the Columbia River and its tributaries in southern Washington, northern Oregon, and southwestern Idaho)

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".[132]

Chinook †

from Lower Chehalis tsʼinúk, the name of a village,[142][143] via Chinook Trade Jargon.

Coho †

from Halkomelem k̉ʷə́xʷəθ ([kʷʼəxʷəθ]).[37][145][146]

Sockeye †

from Halkomelem /ˈsθəqəʔj/.[172]

Potlatch †

from Nuuchahnulth (Nootka) p̉aƛp̉ač ([pʼatɬpʼat͡ʃ], reduplication of p̉a, "to make ceremonial gifts in potlatch", with the iterative suffix -č) via Chinook Jargon.[166]

Tipi †

from Lakota thípi, "house".[62]