The word 'nopal' originally came from Amerindian as 'nopalli'

'Nopal' is a word borrowed from Amerindian 'nopalli'. The word entered the English language some time around 1730.

nopal [noun] [1730]

• any of a genus (Nopalea) of cacti of Mexico and Central America that differ from the prickly pears in having erect pe...
• prickly pear
• a fleshy young tender stem segment of the prickly pear cactus (especially ) or the nopal cactus used as food

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Etymology: Spanish, from Nahuatl 'nohpalli'

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The word 'persimmon' is a loan word from Amerindian 'pasiminan'

'Persimmon' is a word borrowed from Amerindian 'pasiminan'. The word entered the English language some time around 1612.

persimmon [noun] [1612]

• any of a genus (Diospyros) of trees of the ebony family with hard fine wood, oblong leaves, and small bell-shaped flo...
• an eastern United States tree D. kaki (D. virginiana) or a Japanese tree ()
• the usually orange several-seeded globular berry of a persimmon that is edible when fully ripe but usually extremely as...

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Etymology: Virginia Algonquian 'pessemmin'

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Is 'coyote' English, or is it actually Amerindian?

'Coyote' is a word borrowed from Amerindian 'coyotl'. The word entered the English language some time around 1759.

coyote [noun] [1759]

• a buff-gray to reddish-gray North American canid (Canis latrans) closely related to but smaller than the wolf
• one who smuggles immigrants into the United States

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Etymology: Mexican Spanish, from Nahuatl 'coyōtl'

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Is 'potlatch' English, or is it actually Amerindian?

'Potlatch' is a word borrowed from Amerindian 'paɬaˑč'. The word entered the English language some time around 1861.

potlatch [noun] [circa 1861]

• a ceremonial feast of the American Indians of the northwest coast marked by the host's lavish distribution of gifts or ...
• a social event or celebration

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Etymology: Chinook Jargon 'patlač' from Nootka 'p̓aƛp̓ač'

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Did you know that 'toboggan' is actually Amerindian?

'Toboggan' is a word borrowed from Amerindian 'topaĝan'. The word entered the English language some time around 1820.

toboggan [noun] [circa 1820]

• a long flat-bottomed light sled made usually of thin boards curved up at one end with usually low handrails at the side...
• a downward course or a sharp decline
• stocking cap

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Etymology: Canadian French 'tobogan' of Algonquian origin; akin to Micmac 'tobâgun' drag made of skin

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The Amerindian origins of the word 'hickory'

'Hickory' is a word borrowed from Amerindian 'pawcohiccora'. The word entered the English language some time around 1670.

hickory [noun] [1670]

• any of a genus (Carya) of North American hardwood trees of the walnut family that often have sweet edible nuts
• the usually tough wood of a hickory
• a switch or cane (as of hickory wood) used especially for punishing a child

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Etymology: Short for obsolete 'pokahickory' from Virginia Algonquian 'pawcohiccora' food prepared from pounded nuts

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The word 'moose' originally came from Amerindian as 'mos'

'Moose' is a word borrowed from Amerindian 'mos'. The word entered the English language some time around 1603.

moose [noun] [1603]

• a ruminant mammal (Alces alces) with humped shoulders, long legs, and broadly palmated antlers that is the largest ex...
• a member of a major benevolent and fraternal order

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Etymology: Of Algonquian origin; akin to Massachusett 'moos' moose

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Do you speak a little Amerindian when you say 'powwow'?

'Powwow' is a word borrowed from Amerindian 'powwow'. The word entered the English language some time around 1624.

powwow [noun] [1624]

• an American Indian medicine man
• an American Indian ceremony (as for victory in war)
• an American Indian social gathering or fair usually including competitive dancing
• a social get-together

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Etymology: Narragansett 'powwaw' or Massachusett 'pauwau'

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The Amerindian roots of the word 'caucus'

'Caucus' is a word borrowed from Amerindian 'caucus'. The word entered the English language some time around 1760.

caucus [noun] [1760]

• a closed meeting of a group of persons belonging to the same political party or faction usually to select candidates or...
• a group of people united to promote an agreed-upon cause

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note: Algonquian - cau'-cau'-as'u ‘adviser’.
Etymology: origin unknown

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Did you know that 'wigwam' is actually Amerindian?

'Wigwam' is a word borrowed from Amerindian 'wigwam'. The word entered the English language some time around 1628.

wigwam [noun] [1628]

• a hut of the American Indians of the Great Lakes region and eastward having typically an arched framework of poles over...
• a rough hut

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Etymology: Eastern Abenaki 'wìkəwαm' house

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Is 'Mississippi' English, or is it actually Amerindian?

'Mississippi' is a word borrowed from Amerindian 'Mississippi'.

Mississippi [geographical name] [(unknown)]

• river 2340 miles (3765 ) kilometers United States flowing from cen cen Minnesota to Gulf of Mexico
• river 105 miles (169 ) Canada in kilometers Ontario flowing & into Ottawa River
• state area United States ✽ Jackson square miles 47,689 square kilometers (123,514 ), pop 2,844,658

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note: The original Native American name meant big river.
Etymology: -

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Did you know that 'Milwaukee' is actually Amerindian?

'Milwaukee' is a word borrowed from Amerindian 'Millioke'.

Milwaukee [geographical name] [(unknown)]

City & port pop Wisconsin on Lake Michigan 596,974

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note: Algonquian word Millioke meaning Good Beautiful and Pleasant Land.
Etymology: -

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How the Amerindian language influenced English with the word 'totem'

'Totem' is a word borrowed from Amerindian 'totem'. The word entered the English language some time around 1776.

totem [noun] [circa 1776]

• an object (as an animal or plant) serving as the emblem of a family or clan and often as a reminder of its ancestry
• a usually carved or painted representation of such an object
• a family or clan identified by a common object
• one that serves as an emblem or revered symbol

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Etymology: Ojibwa 'oto·te·man' his totem

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When you say 'Tammany' are you speaking Amerindian?

'Tammany' is a word borrowed from Amerindian 'Tammany'. The word entered the English language some time around 1872.

Tammany [adjective] [1872]

Of, relating to, or constituting a group or organization exercising or seeking municipal political control by methods o...

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note: Named after a North American Indian chief of the late 17th century in Pennsylvania.
Etymology: headquarters of the Tammany Society, political organization in New York City

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The word 'woodchuck' originally came from Amerindian as 'wuchak'

'Woodchuck' is a word borrowed from Amerindian 'wuchak'. The word entered the English language some time around 1674.

woodchuck [noun] [1674]

A grizzled thickset marmot (Marmota monax) chiefly of Alaska, Canada, and the northeastern United States

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Etymology: By folk etymology from a word of Algonquian origin; akin to Narragansett 'ockqutchaun' woodchuck

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When you say 'skunk' are you speaking Amerindian?

'Skunk' is a word borrowed from Amerindian 'segankw'. The word entered the English language some time around 1634.

skunk [noun] [1634]

• any of various common omnivorous black-and-white New World mammals (especially genus ) of the weasel family that have a...
• the fur of a skunk
• an obnoxious or disliked person

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Etymology: Earlier 'squuncke' from a Massachusett reflex of Algonquian '*šeka·kwa' from 'šek-' urinate + '-a·kw' fox, fox-like animal

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The Amerindian roots of the word 'terrapin'

'Terrapin' is a word borrowed from Amerindian 'terrapin'. The word entered the English language some time around 1613.

terrapin [noun] [1613]

• any of various aquatic turtles (family Emydidae)
• diamondback terrapin

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Etymology: Alteration of earlier 'torope' from Virginia Algonquian '*to·rəpe·w'

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Do you speak a little Amerindian when you say 'wampum'?

'Wampum' is a word borrowed from Amerindian 'wampum'. The word entered the English language some time around 1636.

wampum [noun] [1636]

• beads of polished shells strung in strands, belts, or sashes and used by North American Indians as money, ceremonial pl...
• money

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Etymology: Short for 'wampumpeag'

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Amerindian 'Sequoya' in the English language

'Sequoia' is a word borrowed from Amerindian 'Sequoya'. The word entered the English language some time around 1866.

sequoia [noun] [circa 1866]

• either of two huge coniferous California trees of the bald cypress family that may reach a height of over 300 feet (90 ...
• giant sequoia
• redwood

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note: From Sequoya - the name of the Cherokee Indian who invented the Cherokee syllabary.
Etymology: New Latin, genus name, from 'Sequoya' (George Guess)

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The word 'Utah' is a loan word from Amerindian 'Ute'

'Utah' is a word borrowed from Amerindian 'Ute'.

Utah [geographical name] [(unknown)]

State area United States ✽ Salt Lake City square miles 84,899 square kilometers (219,888 ), pop 2,233,169

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note: From the Ute tribe ('people of the mountains' ) or from Apache 'Yuttahih' meaning 'those that are higher up'.
Etymology: -

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