Native American/First Nations Words in English

  • alpaca – Aymara, for "yellowish red"
  • anorak – Kalaallisut, for "coated fur pelt with hood"
  • barbecue – Arawakan, for "framework of sticks"
  • bayou – Choctaw, for "creek, river"
  • cacique – Taíno, for "chieftain"
  • cannibal – Galibi, for "person"
  • canoe – Arawakan, for "dugout boat"
  • cashew – Tupi, for the tree that produces the nut
  • cassava – Taíno, for "manioc meal"
  • cayenne – Tupi, for the pepper
  • chinchilla – Quechua, for "little bug"
  • chinos – Quechua, for "female animal, servant"
  • condor – Quechua, for the bird
  • cougar – Tupi, for "false deer"
  • futon – Quechua, for "from the coca plant"
  • guano – Quechua, for "dung"
  • guava – Arawakan, for tree bearing the fruit
  • hammock – Arawakan, for "fish nets"
  • hurricane – Taíno, for the storms
  • igloo – Inuit, for "house"
  • iguana – Arawakan, for the animal
  • jerky (meat) – Quechua, for "dried flesh"
  • kayak – Inuktitut, for "small boat of skins"
  • llama – Quechua, for the animal
  • maize – Taíno, for the food
  • manatee – Carib, for "breast, udder"
  • parka – Nenet, for "coated fur pelt with hood"
  • papaya – Taíno, for the fruit
  • petunia – Guarani, for "tobacco plant"
  • poncho – Mapudungun, for "woolen fabric"
  • potato – Taíno, for the food
  • puma – Quechua, for the animal
  • quinine – Quechua, for "cinchona bark"
  • sasquatch – Halkomelem, for the mythical creature
  • savanna – Taíno, for "treeless plain"
  • tapioca – Tupinambá, for "juice squeezed out"
  • teepee – Lakota, for "house"
  • tobacco – Taíno, for the leaves
  • yucca – Taíno, for "cassava plant"

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