Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

eskimo

/ˈɛs.kɪ.moʊ/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.00 in modern English

Syllables
Es-kimo
IPA
/ˈɛs.kɪ.moʊ/
12
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
3
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

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.

Dated; Offensive

noun

A dog of the American Eskimo breed.

noun

A dog of the Canadian Eskimo breed.

noun

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.)

name

Any of the languages of the Eskimo people.

adj

Of or relating to the Eskimo peoples.

Offensive

adj

In, of, or relating to the Eskimo languages.

Example Sentences

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).

Origin

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈɛs.kɪ.moʊ/
  • British English: /ˈɛs.kɪ.məʊ/

Usage

Inflected Forms

Eskimos (plural) Eskimoes (plural) Eskimau (alternative) Esquimau (alternative) Esquimaux (alternative) Esquimo (alternative) more Eskimo (comparative) most Eskimo (superlative)

Derived Forms

baskimo Eskaleut Eskaleutian Eskaleutic Eskibeat Eskie Eskimoan Eskimoic Eskimoid eskimoite Eskimoized Eskimological

Phrases

the same root as Eskimo American Eskimo Dog Canadian Eskimo Dog Caribou Eskimo Eskimo-Aleut Eskimo boot Eskimo brothers Eskimo curlew

Frequently Paired Words

husky the same root as Eskimo

Synonyms

esquimau eskimo language esquimau language inuit

Questions

How do you pronounce eskimo?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈɛs.kɪ.moʊ/.
What does eskimo mean?
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.
Where does eskimo come from?
It is traced to French.

How to pronounce eskimo

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “eskimo”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈɛs.kɪ.moʊ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “eskimo”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “eskimo” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.