Eskimo
Part of speech: noun
adj
Morphological type: simple
Topics: ball-games
football
games
hobbies
lifestyle
sports
Etymology: Attested since 1584, from French Esquimau, ultimately from an Old Montagnais term. Ives Goddard's theory, accepted by most linguists today, is that it derives from Montagnais ayaškimew (“snowshoe-netter”). An older theory, defended by John Steckley due to its greater acceptance in Native oral traditions, but discredited by linguists, is that it derives from a term meaning "eater(s) of raw meat".
Details
* The theory most accepted among linguists today is 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 and apparently later transferred to the Labrador Inuit.
* An older theory derives it from a term meaning "eaters of raw meat"; compare Cree askamiciw (“s/he eats it raw”) (Inuit are referred to in some Cree texts as askipiw, "eats something raw"). 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".
In 1978, Montagnais-speaking Quebec anthropologist Jose Mailhot alternatively suggested Eskimo meant "people who speak a different language", but Steckley considers her theory unlikely.
The term may have entered English via Spanish esquimao, esquimal (used by Basque fishermen in Labrador).
Inflected forms:
form: Eskimo
pos: noun
tags: plural
form: Eskimos
pos: noun
tags: plural
form: Eskimoes
pos: noun
tags: plural
form: Eskimau
pos: noun
tags: alternative
form: Esquimau
pos: noun
tags: alternative
form: Esquimaux
pos: noun
tags: alternative
form: Esquimo
pos: noun
tags: alternative
form: more Eskimo
pos: adj
tags: comparative
form: most Eskimo
pos: adj
tags: superlative
form: Eskimau
pos: adj
tags: alternative
form: Esquimau
pos: adj
tags: alternative
form: Esquimaux
pos: adj
tags: alternative
form: Esquimo
pos: adj
tags: alternative
Senses:
gloss: A member of a group of indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic, from Siberia, through Alaska and Northern Canada, to Greenland, including the Inuit and Yupik.
pos: noun
tags: dated
offensive
sometimes
gloss: A dog of the American Eskimo breed.
pos: noun
examples: Yet many pure-bred, if unregistered, Eskimos are still kept along the Canadian border for use in sled racing.
gloss: A dog of the Canadian Eskimo breed.
pos: noun
gloss: A team member of the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos. (Obsolete as of 2020 with the team dropping this name in favour of Elks in 2021.)
pos: noun
tags: Canadian
historical
gloss: Of or relating to the Eskimo peoples.
pos: adj
tags: offensive
sometimes
gloss: In, of, or relating to the Eskimo languages.
pos: adj
Related words: husky
the same root as Eskimo
Husky
Translations:
lang: Armenian
word: էսկիմոս
roman: ēskimos
lang: Catalan
word: esquimal
lang: Chinese Cantonese
word: 愛斯基摩人 /爱斯基摩人
roman: oi³ si¹ gei¹ mo¹ jan⁴
lang: Chinese Mandarin
word: 愛斯基摩人 /爱斯基摩人
roman: Àisījīmórén
lang: Chinese Mandarin
word: 埃斯基摩人
roman: Āisījīmórén
lang: Chinese Mandarin
word: 依士企摩人
roman: Yīshìqǐmórén, Yīshìqìmórén
lang: Chukchi
word: айванаԓьын
roman: ajvanaḷʹyn
lang: Chukchi
word: айван
roman: ajvan
lang: Czech
word: Eskymák
lang: Danish
word: eskimo
lang: Danish
word: inuit
lang: Dutch
word: Eskimo
lang: Finnish
word: eskimo
lang: French
word: Esquimau
lang: French
word: Eskimo
lang: German
word: Eskimo
lang: Greek
word: Εσκιμώος
roman: Eskimóos
lang: Hindi
word: एस्कीमो
roman: eskīmo
lang: Hungarian
word: eszkimó
lang: Ingrian
word: eskimosa
lang: Irish
word: Eiscimeach
lang: Italian
word: eschimese
lang: Japanese
word: エスキモー
roman: Esukimō
lang: Korean
word: 에스키모
roman: eseukimo
lang: Macedonian
word: Еским
roman: Eskim
lang: Macedonian
word: Ескимка
roman: Eskimka
lang: Ojibwe
word: eshkimoo
lang: Ojibwe
word: eshkiime
lang: Polish
word: Eskimos
lang: Polish
word: Eskimoska
lang: Portuguese
word: esquimó
lang: Romanian
word: eschimos
lang: Romanian
word: eschimosă
lang: Russian
word: эскимо́с
roman: eskimós
lang: Russian
word: эскимо́ска
roman: eskimóska
lang: Slovak
word: Eskimák
lang: Spanish
word: esquimal
lang: Swahili
word: Mweskimo
lang: Swahili
word: Waeskimo
lang: Swedish
word: eskimå
lang: Turkish
word: Eskimo
lang: Ukrainian
word: ескімо́с
roman: eskimós
lang: Volapük
word: läskioman
lang: Volapük
word: hiläskioman
lang: Volapük
word: jiläskioman
lang: Volapük
word: leskiman