Eskimo

See also: eskimo

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

Attested since 1584,[1][2] ultimately from an Old Montagnais term. There are two competing theories: Ives Goddard's theory, accepted by more linguists today, that it derives from ayaškimew (“snowshoe-netter”), and the older theory, defended by John Steckley and with greater acceptance in Native oral traditions, that it derives from a term meaning "eater(s) of raw meat".

Details.
  • The theory more widely accepted among linguists today is that of Ives Goddard, that it derives from ayaškimew (“snowshoe-netter”) (compare Montagnais assime·w (“she laces a snowshoe”), Ojibwe ashkime (“s/he nets snowshoes”)), a term applied to the Mi'kmaq[3][2] and apparently later transferred to the Labrador Inuit.
  • An older theory derives it from a term meaning "eaters of raw meat"; compare Cree askamiciw (“she or he eats it raw”) (Inuit are referred to in some Cree texts as askipiw, "eats something raw").[4][5][6] John Steckley argues in favor of this theory because of its greater acceptance in native oral traditions, and because the Huron, historical allies and trading partners of the Montagnais who loan-translated many names, also denote the Inuit using terms (e.g. Lorette Huron ok8ch iechronnon, Wyandot ok8chtronnon, both including -ok8ch- "to be raw") meaning "people of the raw", "people who eat something raw".[2]

In 1978, Montagnais-speaking Quebec anthropologist Jose Mailhot alternatively suggested Eskimo meant "people who speak a different language",[7][8] but Steckley considers her theory unlikely.[2]

The term may have entered English via Spanish esquimao, esquimal (used by Basque fishermen in Labrador).

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ˈɛs.kɪ.moʊ/
  • Hyphenation: Es‧kimo

Proper noun

Eskimo

  1. A group of indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic, from Siberia, through Alaska and Northern Canada, to Greenland, including the Inuit and Yupik.
  2. Any of the languages of the Eskimo.

Usage notes
  • Eskimo has come to be considered offensive, especially in Canada, because it was widely thought to stem from a Cree pejorative meaning “eaters of raw meat”[9][7][8][4][5] (although both the Cree and Inuit ate raw meat).
  • In Canada, it has been superseded by Inuit (for the peoples, and Inuvialuit for those in the Western Arctic). The term is still used worldwide by historians and archaeologists.
  • In Alaska, indigenous Alaskans find this term too imprecise and prefer "Alaska Native", as "Eskimo" encompasses (and is the only encompassing term for) all the Arctic peoples including the Inuit Inupiat and the non-Inuit Yupik. However, Eskimo does not include the related Aleut people (Unangam).
  • Greenland natives also call themselves Greenlanders or Kalaallit, and their language Greenlandic or Kalaallisut.

Synonyms
  • husky (“dog”)
  • Husky (“an Eskimo person; an Eskimo language”) (dated)

Translations

Noun

Eskimo (plural Eskimo or Eskimos or Eskimoes)

  1. A member of any of the Eskimo peoples.
  2. A dog of the American Eskimo breed.
    • 1958, Henry P. Davis, The Modern Dog Encyclopedia (page 292)
      Yet many pure-bred, if unregistered, Eskimos are still kept along the Canadian border for use in sled racing.

Translations

Adjective

Eskimo (comparative more Eskimo, superlative most Eskimo)

  1. Of or relating to the Eskimo peoples.
  2. In, of, or relating to the Eskimo languages.

Derived terms
Derived terms
  • Eskimo brother
  • Eskimo curlew
  • Eskimo dog

Translations

References
  • “Eskimo” in the Canadian Oxford Dictionary, Second Edition, Oxford University Press, 2004.
  • “Eskimo” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.
  • “Eskimo” in the The New Oxford American Dictionary, Second Edition, Oxford University Press, 2005
  • “Eskimo” in Douglas Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2001–2019.
  • “Eskimo” and “Origin of the name Eskimo” in Wikipedia
  1. in the writings of Richard Hakluyt, in the (now obsolete) spelling Esquimawes (compare French Esquimaux (“Eskimos”))
  2. John Steckley, White Lies about the Inuit (2008)
  3. Ives Goddard, "Synonymy", in Arctic, ed. David Damas, vol. 5 of Handbook of North American Indians (1984), ed. William C. Sturtevant, pages 5–7 (Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution); cited in Lyle Campbell, American Indian Languages: The Historical Linguistics of Native America (1997), page 394 (New York: Oxford University Press)
  4. “Setting the Record Straight About Native Languages: What Does "Eskimo" Mean In Cree?”, in (Please provide the title of the work)‎, Native-languages.org, accessed 2012-06-13
  5. “Eskimo”, in American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition, 2000‎, Bartleby, (Please provide a date or year)
  6. Pamela R. Stern, Historical Dictionary of the Inuit
  7. Jose Mailhot, L'étymologie de «Esquimau» revue et corrigée, Etudes Inuit/Inuit Studies 2-2:59–70 (1978)
  8. Cree Mailing List Digest November 1997
  9. Mark Israel, Eskimo (2012-06-13), archive (2012-04-03)

Anagrams

Dutch

Etymology

From French Esquimau; for more, see Eskimo.

Pronunciation
  • Audio(file)

Noun

Eskimo n (plural Eskimo's, diminutive Eskimootje n)

  1. Eskimo (person)

Proper noun

Eskimo n

  1. the Eskimo language (group)

Derived terms

French

Alternative forms

Noun

Eskimo m (plural Eskimos)

  1. an Eskimo

Derived terms

German

Alternative forms
  • Esquimo (in Fraktur Esquimo, in the 18th century also Eſquimo)

Pronunciation
  • Audio(file)

Noun

Eskimo m (genitive Eskimo or Eskimos, plural Eskimo or Eskimos)

  1. an Eskimo
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