American Indian Words
All the states in yellow on the map above bear names that are American Indian in origin.
For many people, English is the language you use every day. But did you know that words which contain one syllable are the only original English or Anglo-Saxon words? All of the rest of the words you use have come from other tongues, including American Indian languages.
Indigenous words for animals were adopted into the English language when Europeans first came to America. They had never seen many of the animals and didn’t have names for them. Therefore, they adopted American Indian names like moose, caribou, raccoon, opossum, chipmunk, chigger, cougar, and jaguar.
Explorers and English-speaking settlers also adopted Indian words for plants and trees that were new to them: tobacco, tomato, potato, hickory, pecan, mahogany, maize (corn), squash, avocado, papaya and tapioca are are just some examples. All of these names were adopted from different Indian Nations and different American Indian languages.
'Okay' and 'Blizzard' originated with Native people, as did the word 'Yankee' (which means white snake).
American Indian geographical names are even more noticeable. Alabama, Mississippi, Texas and Arizona were named by Indians. Some names reflect the tribes which lived in the area, such as the Dakota, Illini, Kansa and Massachuset. In fact, 27 of the 50 states get their names from Native languages. And approximately 67% of all street and city names are American Indian related!
Other names describe the land. 'Minnesota' is Dakota for "waters that reflect the sky," 'Michigan' is an Ojibwe word for "great water," and 'Nebraska' means "flat water" in the Omaha language. The word 'Chicago' is derived from an American Indian word for wild onions.
Many 'English' words are actually American Indian words
For many people, English is the language you use every day. But did you know that words which contain one syllable are the only original English or Anglo-Saxon words? All of the rest of the words you use have come from other tongues, including American Indian languages.
Indigenous words for animals were adopted into the English language when Europeans first came to America. They had never seen many of the animals and didn’t have names for them. Therefore, they adopted American Indian names like moose, caribou, raccoon, opossum, chipmunk, chigger, cougar, and jaguar.
Explorers and English-speaking settlers also adopted Indian words for plants and trees that were new to them: tobacco, tomato, potato, hickory, pecan, mahogany, maize (corn), squash, avocado, papaya and tapioca are are just some examples. All of these names were adopted from different Indian Nations and different American Indian languages.
'Okay' and 'Blizzard' originated with Native people, as did the word 'Yankee' (which means white snake).
American Indian geographical names are even more noticeable. Alabama, Mississippi, Texas and Arizona were named by Indians. Some names reflect the tribes which lived in the area, such as the Dakota, Illini, Kansa and Massachuset. In fact, 27 of the 50 states get their names from Native languages. And approximately 67% of all street and city names are American Indian related!
Other names describe the land. 'Minnesota' is Dakota for "waters that reflect the sky," 'Michigan' is an Ojibwe word for "great water," and 'Nebraska' means "flat water" in the Omaha language. The word 'Chicago' is derived from an American Indian word for wild onions.
Many 'English' words are actually American Indian words
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Moccasin Mugwump
Tom-Tom Muskeg Papoose Cayuse Maize Moose Quinine Skunk Chinook Llama Opossum Aleut Caribou Sagamore Mohave Ocelot Cocoa |
Canoe Totem
Pow-Wow Potato Raccoon Wapiti Coyote Massagua Potlatch Pumpkin Chinquapin Chipmunk Hurricane Aztec Succotash Tupelo Pecan Muskelunge Persimmon |
Hogan Woodchuck Wampum
Pone Toboggan Kinni-Kinnick Igloo Yankee Umiak Tamarack Catalpa Mesquite Condor Puccoon Squash Conestogo Barbecue Sachem Tomato |
Hammock Manitou Pemmican
Homing Tamale Kayak Paw-Paw Teton Tomahawk Wigwam Chinookan Terrapin Aleutian Sequoia Stogie Tipi Punk Winnebago Bayou And lots more! |
27 State names are American Indian words
Alaska.............................Great Land
Alabama.........................Thicket Clearers
Arizona............................Silver Slabs
Arkansas.........................Down Stream People
Connecticut....................Upon The Long River
Idaho................................Sunrise, It Is Morning
Illinois..............................Men Or Great Men
Indiana............................Land Of The Indians
Iowa.................................Drowsy People
Kansas............................People Of The South Wind
Kentucky.........................Hunting Ground
Dakota.............................Related People, Allies
Oregon.............................Beautiful Water
Massachusetts................Great Hill
Michigan..........................Great Water
Mississippi.......................Father Of Water
Missouri............................Long Canoe People
Minnesota........................Sky Tinted Water
Nebraska..........................Flat Water
New Mexico.....................Aztec God Mexitili
Ohio..................................Beautiful Valley
Oklahoma........................Land Of The Red Man
Texas................................Taysha - Allies or friends
Tennessee.......................From Chief Tannassie
Utah..................................Those Who Dwell High Up
Wisconsin........................Where Waters Gather
Wyoming..........................Great Plain