noun

Eskimo

EHS-kih-moh

noun

A member of the indigenous peoples of the Arctic regions of Siberia, Alaska, Canada, and Greenland, including the Inuit and Yupik.

"The museum exhibit featured traditional Eskimo clothing and tools."

How to Use Eskimo

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA general term for Arctic indigenous peoples including the Inuit and Yupik.

When to use it

Many people today prefer more specific terms such as "Inuit" or "Yupik," or the name of the particular group, since "Eskimo" is considered outdated or offensive by some, especially in Canada and Greenland.

Word Forms

more Eskimo comparative, Eskimo plural, Eskimos plural, Eskimoes plural, most Eskimo superlative

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The museum exhibit featured traditional _____ clothing and tools.

Etymology

Recorded in English since the 16th century, borrowed via French from an Algonquian-language source, long thought to mean "eater of raw meat" though most linguists now trace it to a word meaning "snowshoe-netter."

Rhymes for Eskimo

Simo primo geronimo generalissimo

See all rhymes for Eskimo →