Search the dictionary Advanced Search

How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

canopy
n
canopy
agwanogaan ni a canopy, an arbor, an open-sided shed

cant hook
n
cant hook
biimaskwaakwa'igan ni something used to turn logs: a cant hook

canvas
n
canvas
babagiwayaanegamigwegin ni (a piece of) canvas

canoe canvas
jiimaaniigin ni [BL] canoe canvas

canvas canoe
n
canvas canoe
bagiwaanegamigwegino-jiimaan ni a canvas canoe

jiimaaniigino-jiimaan ni [BL] a canvas canoe

canvas shoe
n
canvas shoe
babagiwayaanekizin ni a tennis shoe, a canvas shoe

cap
n
cap
wiiwakwaan ni a cap, a hat

cape
n
cape
neyaashi ni a point (of land), a cape

neyaashiiwan vii there is a point (of land), a cape

capsize
vi
capsize
gwanabishkaa vai s/he capsizes, tips over

captive
n
take captives
nawadiniwe vai s/he takes captives

car
n
car
odaabaan na [LL] [ML]
  1. something pulled or dragged as a means of conveyance: a sled, a sleigh, a wagon
  2. a car, an automobile, a vehicle

See also: odaabaan ni [N]

odaabaan ni [N]
  1. something dragged or pulled as a means of conveyance: a wagon
  2. a car, an automobile, a vehicle

See also: odaabaan na [LL] [ML]

waasamoowidaabaan na a car, an automobile

See also: waasamoowidaabaan ni

waasamoowidaabaan ni a car, an automobile

See also: waasamoowidaabaan na

broken-down car
biigodaabaane vai s/he has a broken-down car

by a car
jiigidaabaan adv loc by a vehicle, car, sled

go after car
naajidaabaane vai s/he goes after a car or cars

have a car
odoodaabaani vai s/he has a car or cars

have car with
gigidaabaane vai s/he has h/ car with h/

police car
dakoniwewidaabaan na a police car

race car
gagwejikanidiiwidaabaan ni [RL] a race car

gagwejikazhiwewidaabaan na a race car

See also: gagwejikazhiwewidaabaan ni

repair car
nanaa'idaabaane vai s/he repairs a car

steal car
gimoojidaabaane vai s/he steals a car or cars

wash car
giziibiigidaabaane vai s/he washes a car or vehicle

giziibiigidaabaanetamaw vta wash a car or vehicle for h/

The Ojibwe People's Dictionary is developed and maintained by:
Nora Livesay, Editor
John D. Nichols, Founder and Linguistic Editor

with support and collaboration from the University of Minnesota's Department of American Indian Studies and University Libraries.

Additional Resources

Many of the words in the Ojibwe People's Dictionary have related resources. Click through to the full dictionary entry to hear audio recordings, see images, read documents and watch videos. Here's a key to resource icons.

  • Audio recordings
  • Images
  • Video
  • Documents

Speakers & Regions Key

Individual speakers and speakers from different regions use different words when speaking. Each audio recording is marked with the initials of the Ojibwe speaker. Click on a speaker's initials to go to the speaker's bio page. If an Ojibwe word is particular to a certain region, it will be marked with a region code. Click on the region code to go to the Regions page.