##  [Indigenous loan words](/writing-tips-plus/indigenous-loan-words)

## Accéder à du contenu similaire en français

Du contenu semblable en français est présenté dans l’article [Mots d’origine autochtone](/fr/cles-de-la-redaction/mots-origine-autochtone).

## On this page

- [General information](#general-information)
- [Examples of Indigenous loan words](#indigenous-loan-words)
- [Examples of Indigenous place names](#indigenous-place-names)
- [Additional information](#additional-information)

## General information

North American English has borrowed many words from Indigenous languages. Today, Anglophones in Canada commonly use these words to refer to animals, objects, geographic locations and more.

## Examples of Indigenous loan words

The table below provides a list of Indigenous loan words and their definitions.

Indigenous Loan Words and Their Definitions
| Indigenous loan word | Definition |
|---|---|
| amauti | A parka with a built-in pouch, traditionally used by Inuit women to carry a baby. Also spelled **amautik**. |
| anorak | A waterproof jacket, often with a hood. Also called a parka. |
| babiche | Cord made from rawhide, sinew, gut or tendon, used as thread, lacing, webbing, etc. |
| carcajou | A carnivorous mammal of the weasel family. Also known as a wolverine. |
| caribou | An arctic deer species in which both males and females have antlers. Also known as reindeer. |
| chipmunk | A ground squirrel found in North America and Asia. |
| geoduck | A large, mud-burrowing clam found on the Pacific coast of North America. |
| igloo | A dome-shaped structure made with blocks of compacted snow. |
| Inuk | An Indigenous person living in the northern regions and Arctic coasts of Canada, Greenland and Alaska. |
| inuksuk | A structure of uncut stones piled on top of each other and used as markers or signposts in the Arctic. Also spelled **inukshuk**. |
| kamik | A soft boot traditionally made from animal skin. Also known as a mukluk. |
| kayak | A light, narrow boat tapered at both ends and propelled with a double-ended paddle. |
| komatik | A wooden sled traditionally pulled by dogs. Also spelled **kamutik**. |
| moccasin | A leather shoe with a soft, flat sole. |
| moose | The largest species of deer, characterized by a shoulder hump and wide, flat antlers. |
| muskeg | A swamp or bog containing partly dead vegetation. |
| muskellunge | A large, freshwater fish belonging to the pike family. Called a **muskie** for short. |
| mukluk | A soft boot traditionally made from animal skin. Also known as a kamik. |
| muktuk | The skin and surface blubber of a whale. |
| ookpik | A toy owl originally made from sealskin by Inuit artists. |
| parka | A waterproof jacket, often with a hood. Also known as an anorak. |
| pecan | A smooth, pinkish-brown nut. |
| pemmican | Pounded dry meat that keeps well. |
| persimmon | An orange, pulpy fruit. |
| pingo | A hill of ice formed in permafrost areas. |
| powwow | A cultural gathering among some Indigenous Peoples, with traditional music and dance. |
| qulliq | An oil lamp traditionally made of soapstone and used by the people of the Arctic. Also spelled **kudlik**. |
| raccoon | A nocturnal mammal with a sharp snout and black mask-like markings across its eyes. Also spelled **racoon**. |
| skunk | A black and white mammal that can emit a powerful stench. |
| teepee | A portable cone-shaped tent traditionally used by some Indigenous Peoples. Also spelled **tepee** or **tipi**. |
| toboggan | A flat-bottomed sled that curves up at the front. |
| tomahawk | A small axe with a stone or metal blade. |
| totem | An animal, plant or natural object that serves as an ancestral emblem of a clan. |
| ulu | A knife with a crescent-shaped blade, traditionally used by Inuit women. |
| wampum | Small cylindrical beads made of shell, woven into strings or belts by some Indigenous Peoples. |
| wapiti | A large deer found in North America and eastern Asia. Also known as a North American elk. |
| wigwam | A dome-shaped house that was traditionally covered with bark or hide by some Indigenous Peoples. |

## Examples of Indigenous place names

The table below provides a list of place names borrowed from Indigenous languages, along with their meanings.

Indigenous Place Names and Their Meanings
| Indigenous place name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Bouctouche (New Brunswick) | big bay |
| Canada | village |
| Inuvik (Northwest Territories) | place of people |
| Iqaluit (Nunavut) | place of many fish |
| Kelowna (British Columbia) | grizzly bear |
| Magog (Quebec) | lake where there is trout |
| Nunavut | our land |
| Ottawa (Ontario) | to trade |
| Quebec | narrow passage |
| Saskatchewan | swift-flowing river |
| Shippagan (New Brunswick) | the place where ducks pass |
| Toronto (Ontario) | where there are trees in water |
| Winnipeg (Manitoba) | murky water |

## Additional information

- [Canada, kanata](canada-kanata)
- [Inuksuk](inuksuk-inuksuit-inukshuk-inukshuks)
- [Inuk, Inuit (Linguistic recommendation from the Translation Bureau)](inuk-inuit)
- [Nunavut](nunavut-nu)
- [Toboggan](toboggan)

### Blog posts

- [Update on the words “Inuk” and “Inuit”](/en/blogue-blog/recommandation-inuit-inuk-eng)
- [Indigenous geographical names and the power they hold](/en/blogue-blog/noms-de-lieux-autochtones-Indigenous-geographical-names-eng)

### Quizzes

- [Indigenous loan words: What does “Kanata” mean?](/en/quiz/indigenous-loan-words-kanata-eng)
- [Indigenous loan words: What’s a kamik?](/en/quiz/indigenous-loan-words-kamik-eng)
- [Indigenous loan words: What’s a muskie?](/en/quiz/indigenous-loan-words-muskie-eng)
- [Words from Arctic Canada](/en/quiz/words-from-arctic-canada-eng)

##  Avis de droit d’auteur pour l’outil Writing Tips Plus

© Sa Majesté le Roi du chef du Canada, représenté par le ou la ministre des Services publics et de l’Approvisionnement
Un outil créé et mis en ligne par le Bureau de la traduction, Services publics et Approvisionnement Canada

## Rechercher par thèmes connexes

Vous voulez en apprendre davantage sur un thème abordé dans cette page? Cliquez sur un lien ci-dessous pour voir toutes les pages du Portail linguistique du Canada portant sur le thème choisi. Les résultats de recherche s’afficheront dans le [Navigateur linguistique](/fr/navigateur-navigator).

- [General knowledge](/fr/navigateur-navigator?search_api_fulltext=-&field_writing_tools=All&sort_by=views&f%5B1%5D=navigateur_navigator_english_theme%3A464#navigateur-navigator-resultats-results)
- [Canadian culture](/fr/navigateur-navigator?search_api_fulltext=-&field_writing_tools=All&sort_by=views&f%5B0%5D=navigateur_navigator_english_theme%3A464&f%5B1%5D=navigateur_navigator_english_theme%3A466#navigateur-navigator-resultats-results)
- [Indigenous languages](/fr/navigateur-navigator?search_api_fulltext=-&field_writing_tools=All&sort_by=views&f%5B0%5D=navigateur_navigator_english_theme%3A464&f%5B1%5D=navigateur_navigator_english_theme%3A471#navigateur-navigator-resultats-results)
- [Vocabulary](/fr/navigateur-navigator?search_api_fulltext=-&field_writing_tools=All&sort_by=views&f%5B1%5D=navigateur_navigator_english_theme%3A500#navigateur-navigator-resultats-results)
- [Loan words and word origin](/fr/navigateur-navigator?search_api_fulltext=-&field_writing_tools=All&sort_by=views&f%5B0%5D=navigateur_navigator_english_theme%3A500&f%5B1%5D=navigateur_navigator_english_theme%3A506#navigateur-navigator-resultats-results)

## Liens connexes

- [Writing Tips Plus](/fr/writing-tips-plus/index-fra) (page d’accueil)
- [Outils d’aide à la rédaction](/fr/outils-tools/index-fra)
- [Navigateur linguistique](/fr/navigateur-navigator) (permet de trouver rapidement des conseils linguistiques)
- [TERMIUM Plus®](http://www.btb.termiumplus.gc.ca/tpv2alpha/alpha-fra.html?lang=fra)