Indigenous North American Loanwords in English

The first peoples that the European settlers in Canada and the US met, were the Algonquians: see this quiz. However, the English language also borrowed several words from other language families of the US, Canada and Greenland. These cultures and languages are enormously varied, from the dry pueblos of Arizona to the totem poles of the rainy PNW.

The headings (Southwest, PNW, etc.) are geographic groupings, not linguistic families, with exception of Inuit.

The starting letter is given.

* Words with an asterisk have a disputed or uncertain etymology.

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Last updated: March 30, 2025

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First submitted	March 30, 2025
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Average score	57.9%
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Pacific
Southern Ohlone. A sea snail, also known as 'sea ear', which is considered a delicacy around the world. Its shells are a source of nacre.	A	abalone
Lower Chehalis. The largest species of salmon. Or a warm western wind across the PNW.	C	chinook
Lushootseed. A large clam with a phallic shape, which is a delicacy in east Asia.	G	geoduck
Nootka. A gift exchanging festival in the Pacific Northwest. Sometimes confused with a type of party where every guest brings food.	P	potlatch
Halkomelem. Another name for the Bigfoot, an ape-like creature said to inhabit the forests of the Pacific Northwest.	S	sasquatch
Halkomelem. A type of Pacific salmon that becomes red with a green head during mating season.	S	sockeye

Southwest
Yuma. A large, venomous, yellow and black lizard native to the Southwest. Named after a River.	G	Gila monster
O'odham. A plant that yields a valuable oil used for cosmetics.	J	jojoba
Uto-Aztecan. A very large and well known species of cactus; a symbol of the American Southwest. Also the name of a National Park near Tucson.	S	saguaro

Great Plains
Lakota. A conical tent made with animal hides.	T	teepee

Southeast
Choctaw. A slowly moving body of brackish water in Louisiana.	B	bayou
Muskogean. A burrowing rodent.*	G	gopher
Possibly the term with the most proposed etymologies. One of them derives it from a Choctaw term meaning 'it is so'. It is an interjection indicating affirmation or approval.*	O	OK
Yuchi. A fruit native to the US, also called 'prairie banana', with a taste and texture similar to banana. Sometimes confused with the papaya.*	P	pawpaw
Cherokee. The largest tree species on Earth, named in honor of the Cherokee man who invented a script for his language.*	S	sequoia

Inuit
Greenlandic. A waterproof, pullover coat with a hood and drawstrings. Similar to a parka.	A	anorak
Inuktitut. A hut made with blocks of snow.	I	igloo
Inuktitut. A canoe with a closed deck.	K	kayak
Inupiaq. A sled dog similar to the Siberian Husky.	M	malamute