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How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

hail
vi
hail
mikwamiikaa vii
  1. there (a lot of) ice
  2. it hails

hair
n
hair
niinizis nid my (strand of) hair

giinizis nid your (strand of) hair

wiinizis nid h/ (strand of) hair

See also: owiinizis nid

owiinizis nid h/ (strand of) hair

See also: wiinizis nid

black hair
makadewindibe vai s/he has black hair

makadewaanikwe vai s/he has black hair

blond hair
ozaawindibe vai s/he has blond hair, brown hair

ozaawaakondibe vai s/he has blond hair, brown hair

braid hair
apikaazh vta braid h/; braid h/ hair

apikaanidizo vai s/he braids h/ own hair

okaaden vta braid h/; braid h/ hair

Paired with: okaadenan vti

okaadenidizo vai s/he braids h/ (own) hair

white hair
waabishkindibe vai s/he has white hair

brown hair
ozaawindibe vai s/he has blond hair, brown hair

ozaawaakondibe vai s/he has blond hair, brown hair

comb hair
binaakwe' vta comb h/

binaakwe'wi vta

► binaakwe' vta

nazikwe' vta comb h/ hair

nazikwe'o vai s/he combs h/ (own) hair

See also: anzikwe'o vai [RL]

comb part in hair
daashkaabii'o vai [RL] s/he parts h/ (own) hair, combs a part in h/ (own) hair; s/he has a part in h/ hair

naawijiine'o vai s/he parts h/ (own) hair, combs a part in h/ (own) hair; s/he has a part in h/ hair

daashkaabii' vta [RL] part h/ hair, comb a part in h/ hair

naawijiine' vta part h/ hair, comb a part in h/ hair

curl hair
babiizigaakiz vta curl h/ hair (by heat)

babiizigaakizige vai h/ hair is curled (by heat)

curly hair
babiizigindibe vai s/he has curly hair

babiizigaanikwe vai s/he has curly hair

cut hair
giishkikozh vta cut h/ hair, give h/ a haircut

giishkikozhiwe vai s/he cuts hair

dirty hair
wiinishtigwaane vai s/he has dirty hair, h/ hair is dirty

See also: wiinitigwaane vai [BL]

wiinaanikwe vai [BL] s/he has dirty hair, h/ hair is dirty

fine hair
biisaanikwe vai s/he has fine hair

grey hair
waabikwaan ni a strand of grey hair

waabikwe vai s/he has grey hair

long hair
gagaanwaanikwe vai s/he has long hair

messy hair
niiskindibe vai s/he has messy hair

nice hair
minwaanikwe vai s/he has nice hair

onizhishaanikwe vai s/he has nice hair

pubic hair
nimiishigwaan nid my (single) pubic hair

gimiishigwaan nid your (single) pubic hair

omiishigwaan nid h/ (single) pubic hair

pull hair
wiikwaanikwebizh vta pull h/ hair

short hair
dadaakwaanikwe vai s/he has short hair

straight hair
dazhwaanikwe vai s/he has straight hair

thick hair
gipagaanikwe vai s/he has thick hair

wash hair
giziibiigindibe vai s/he washes h/ (own) hair

giziibiigindiben vta wash h/ hair

giziibiigitigwaanen vta [BL] wash h/ hair

hair dressing
n
hair dressing
noomakwaan ni hair dressing

hair pin
n
hair pin
wiinizisimaani-zagaakwa'igan ni a hair pin

haircut
n
haircut
baapaagokozo vai s/he gets a haircut

baapaagokozh vta give h/ a haircut

baapaagokozhiwe vai s/he gives haircuts

giishkikozo vai s/he has a haircut, gets a haircut

giishkikozh vta cut h/ hair, give h/ a haircut

giishkikozhiwe vai s/he cuts hair

bad haircut
maanikozo vai s/he has a bad haircut

maanikozh vta give h/ a bad haircut

maanikozhiwe vai s/he gives people bad haircuts

give a haircut
baapaagokozh vta give h/ a haircut

giishkikozh vta cut h/ hair, give h/ a haircut

get a haircut
baapaagokozo vai s/he gets a haircut

giishkikozo vai s/he has a haircut, gets a haircut

good haircut
minokozo vai s/he gets a good haircut

minokozh vta carve it (animate) nicely; give h/ a good haircut

minokozhiwe vai s/he gives people good haircuts

hairdresser
n
hairdresser
baapaagokozhiwewikwe na [ML] a hairdresser (female)

baapaagokozhiwewinini na [ML] a barber; a (male) hairdresser

babiizigaakizigewikwe na a (female) hairdresser

babiizigaakizigewinini na a (male) hairdresser

hairdressing salon
n
hairdressing salon
baapaagokozhiwewigamig ni a barber shop; a beauty parlor, a hair dressing salon

babiizigaakizigewigamig ni a beauty parlor, a hair dressing salon

hairpin turn
n
hairpin turn
biskamon vii it (road, trail) makes a hairpin turn

hairy
adj
hairy
miishizi vai s/he is hairy, is fuzzy

Paired with: miishaa vii

miishaa vii it is hairy, is fuzzy

Paired with: miishizi vai

hairy arm
miishinike vai s/he has hairy arms

hairy cheek
miishanowe vai s/he has a hairy cheek or hairy cheeks

hairy chest
miishaakigane vai [N] he has a hairy chest

See also: miishaakigan vai [S]

miishaakigan vai [S] he has a hairy chest

See also: miishaakigane vai [N]

hairy ear
miishitawage vai s/he has hairy ears

hairy face
miishiingwe vai s/he has a hairy face, is bearded

hairy foot
miishizide vai s/he has hairy feet

hairy knee
miishigidigwe vai s/he has a hairy knee or hairy knees

mamiishigidigwe vai s/he has hairy knees

hairy leg
miishigaade vai s/he has hairy legs

hairy nostrils
miishidenigome vai s/he has hairy nostrils

half
adj
half
aabita qnt num half

aabita- pv qnt half

half a bag
aabitooshkin qnt num half a bag

half a cup
aabitawinaagaans adv qnt half a cup; half a glass

half a glass
aabitawinaagaans adv qnt half a cup; half a glass

and a half
ashi-aabita qnt num and a half

eat half
aabitawam vta eat half of h/

Paired with: aabitawandan vti

aabitawandan vti eat half of it

Paired with: aabitawam vta

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.

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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.