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How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

michaakwaanowe vai s/he has a big furry tail

michaanowe vai s/he (an animal) has a big tail

See also: mangaanowe vai

michaatoon vti2 make it big, enlarge it

Paired with: mindido' vta

michi- pv lex barely; by hand; without anything special; by no other means

michichin ni [BL] a thumb

See also: midechininj ni [S]

michidiye vai s/he is bare-assed

michidiyeshin vai s/he lies with h/ rear uncovered

michidoodooshime vai she is bare-breasted

michigaade vai s/he is bare-legged

michigaadeshin vai s/he lies with h/ leg or legs uncovered

michikanaakobijigan ni a fence

michimisade vai s/he is bare-bellied

michinike vai s/he is bare-armed

michinikeshin vai s/he lies with h/ arm or arms uncovered

michininjiikanjige vai s/he eats with h/ fingers

michisag ni a floor

michisag adv loc on the floor

michisin vii
  1. it lies bare, lies uncovered
  2. it lies right on the floor or the ground

Paired with: michishin vai

michishin vai
  1. s/he lies bare, lies uncovered
  2. s/he lies right on the floor or the ground

Paired with: michisin vii

michizideshin vai s/he lies with h/ foot or feet uncovered

michizigwaa vii there is bare ice

michiigad vii it (sheet-like) is big

Paired with: michiigizi vai

michiigishkan vti wear it right against the skin

(detransitive) michiigishkige vai s/he goes without underwear
michiigishkige vai s/he goes without underwear

michiigizi vai it (animate; sheet-like) is big

Paired with: michiigad vii

michiingwaan ni uncovered face, bare face; face-to-face

michiingwe vai h/ face is uncovered, is bare

michiingweshin vai s/he lies with h/ face uncovered

midaaching adv tmp ten times

midaachinoon vii they (inanimate) are ten, there are ten of them

Paired with: midaachiwag vai

midaachiwag vai they (animate) are ten, there are ten of them

Paired with: midaachinoon vii

midaas ni a legging

midaaso qnt num [RL] ten

See also: midaaswi qnt num

midaaso- pv qnt ten

midaaso-anama'e-giizhigad adv tmp ten weeks

midaaso-anama'e-giizhik qnt num ten weeks

midaaso-anama'e-giizhikwagad vii it is ten weeks

midaaso-biboon qnt num ten years; ten winters

midaaso-biboonagad vii it is ten years

midaaso-biboonagizi vai s/he is ten years old

midaaso-diba'igan qnt num
  1. ten hours
  2. ten miles

midaaso-diba'igane vii [N] it is ten o'clock

midaaso-diba'iganed vii [S] it is ten o'clock

midaaso-diba'iganeyaa vii [BL] it is ten o'clock

midaaso-diba'igaans qnt num
  1. ten minutes
  2. ten acres

midaaso-diba'oobaan qnt num [BL] ten gallons

midaaso-dibaabiishkoojigan qnt num ten pounds

midaaso-dibik qnt num ten nights

midaaso-gikinoonowin qnt num ten years

midaaso-giizhik qnt num ten days

midaaso-giizis qnt num ten months

midaaso-giiziswagad vii it is ten months

Paired with: midaaso-giiziswagizi vai

midaaso-giiziswagizi vai s/he is ten months old

Paired with: midaaso-giiziswagad vii

midaaso-minikwaajigan qnt num ten gallons

midaaso-mininj qnt num [NI] ten inches

midaaso-mizid qnt num [NI] ten feet

midaasogon qnt num ten days

midaasogonagad vii it is ten days

midaasogonagizi vai it is the tenth (of the month); s/he is ten days old

midaasogonii vai s/he fasts for ten days

midaasonaaganens qnt num [BL] ten cups, cupfuls

midaasonaagaans qnt num ten cups, cupfuls

midaasoninj qnt num ten inches

midaasosagoons qnt num ten thousand

midaasozid qnt num ten feet

midaasoobiwag vai ten of them sit together; ten of them are at home

midaasoobii'igan na a ten (card)

midaasoogaabawiwag vai ten of them stand together

midaasookawewag vai ten of them leave tracks

midaasookik qnt num ten pails, ten pailfuls

midaasoonag qnt num ten boats or canoes, ten boatloads

midaasoopidewan vii ten of them (inanimate) are tied together

Paired with: midaasoopizowag vai

midaasoopidoon vti2 tie ten of them (inanimate) together

Paired with: midaasoopizh vta

midaasoopizh vta tie, hitch ten of them (animate) together

Paired with: midaasoopidoon vti2

midaasoopizowag vai ten of them (animate) are tied together, are hitched together

Paired with: midaasoopidewan vii

midaasooshkimod qnt num ten bags

midaasooshkin qnt num ten bags

midaaswaginzo vai [BL] it is the tenth (of the month)

midaaswaabik qnt num ten dollars

midaaswaak qnt num thousand

midaasweg qnt num ten pieces of something sheet-like

midaaswemikwaanens qnt num ten spoonfuls

midaaswewaan qnt num ten pairs; ten sets

midaaswewaanagadoon vii there are ten sets, pairs, or kinds of them (inanimate)

midaaswi qnt num ten

See also: midaaso qnt num [RL]

midaaswi ashi-bezhig qnt num eleven

See also: ashi-bezhig qnt num

midaaswi ashi-ingodwaaswi qnt num sixteen

See also: ashi-ingodwaaswi qnt num

midaaswi ashi-ningodwaaswi qnt num sixteen

See also: ashi-ingodwaaswi qnt num ; ashi-ningodwaaswi qnt num

midaaswi ashi-niizh qnt num twelve

See also: ashi-niizh qnt num

mide na a member of the Midewiwin

(verb of being) midewi vai s/he is a Mide, is a member of the Midewiwin
(derived noun) Midewiwin ni Midewiwin; Medicine Dance; Grand Medicine Society
midechininj ni [S] a thumb

See also: michichin ni [BL]

midechizid ni a big toe

midewayaan na a Mide medicine bag

midewi vai s/he is a Mide, is a member of the Midewiwin

midewigamig ni a Mide lodge

midewigaan ni a Mide lodge

midewigaanaak ni a Mide lodge frame

migaaskitawagaan ni ear wax

migaaskitawage vai s/he has ear wax

migi vai s/he barks

(applicative) migidan vti bark at it (applicative) migizh vta bark at h/ (causative) migi' vta make h/ bark

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.

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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.