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How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

makakoke vai s/he makes a basket (especially one of brich bark), makes a box

makakosag ni a large rigid containter: a tub. a barrel, a carton

makakosagodaabaan ni [BL] a boxcar

makakoshkwemag ni [BL] a birch bark basket for storage

makakoons ni a small box-like object: a small box or basket, a battery, a small radio

makam vta take (it) from h/ (forcibly), rob h/ of (it)

(reciprocal) makandiwag vai they take (it) from each other (forcibly), rob each other (of it)
makandiwag vai they take (it) from each other (forcibly), rob each other (of it)

makandwe vai s/he takes things from people (forcibly), robs people

makizin ni
  1. a shoe, a moccasin
  2. a tire

(verb of making) makizinike vai s/he makes moccasins, makes shoes
(benefactive) makizinikaw vta make moccasins for h/
(verb of possession) omakizini vai s/he has moccasins or shoes
makizinataadiwag vai they play the moccasin game with each other

(derived noun) makizinataadiwin ni moccasin game
makizinataadiwin ni moccasin game

makizinataage vai s/he plays the moccasin game

(derived noun) makizinataagewin ni moccasin game
makizinataage-nagamon ni a moccasin game song

makizinataagewin ni moccasin game

makizinens ni a small moccasin or shoe; a child's moccasin or shoe

makizineyaab ni a shoelace

makizineyaabiikaadan vti

makizineyaabiike vai s/he makes moccasin or shoe laces

makizinikaw vta make moccasins for h/

makizinikaan ni a moccasin in manufacture

makizinike vai s/he makes moccasins, makes shoes

mako-bimide ni bear grease

mako-miikana ni a bear path

mako-wanii'igan ni a bear trap

See also: makwanii'igan ni

mako-wiinin ni bear fat

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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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.