wampum
12 synonyms for wampum, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — Small tube-shaped beads made of polished shell, especially white shell, strung together; once used across eastern North America by Native American peoples for various things, including as jewellery, as money and for keeping records; (countable, archaic) a single such bead.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Etymology
A clipping of wampumpeag ("wampum"), probably borrowed from Massachusett wampompeage, meaning "string of white beads used as money". Compare peag, meaning "string of white beads used as money", which is likewise a clipping of wampumpeag. The sense "common kingsnake" comes from the snake's resemblance to a string of wam...
Full origin of wampum →