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wiigiwaamaatig ni a wigwam pole

wiigiwaamige vai s/he lives in a wigwam

wiigiwaamike vai s/he makes, builds a wigwam

wiigiwaamikekaazo vai s/he pretends to make or build a wigwam

wiigob na a basswood

[
American basswood
; 
Tillia americana
]

(verb of abundance) wiigobiikaa vii there are (a lot of) basswood trees
wiigob ni inner bark of basswood

wiigobaatig na a basswood

[
American basswood
; 
Tillia americana
]

(verb of abundance) wiigobaatigokaa vii there are (many) basswood trees
wiigobaatigokaa vii there are (many) basswood trees

wiigobimizh na a basswood

[
American basswood
; 
Tillia americana
]

wiigobiibag ni a basswood leaf

wiigobiikaa vii there are (a lot of) basswood trees

wiigobiiwaatig na [BL] a basswood

wiigwaas na a birch

[
white birch
; 
Betula papyrifera
]

(verb of abundance) wiigwaasikaa vii there are (many) birches (verb of being) wiigwaasiwi vai it (animate) is a birch
wiigwaas ni birch bark; piece of birch bark

(verb of making) wiigwaasike vai s/he removes birch bark from the tree
wiigwaasabak ni a birch bark covering, a mat or roll of birchbark pieces sewn together

wiigwaasabakway ni a birch bark covering; roll of birch bark roofing

wiigwaasabakwaan na a birch bark roof

wiigwaasanakoons ni (tip of) birch twig

wiigwaasaatig na a birch tree

[
paper birch
; 
Betula papyrifera
]

See also: wiigwaas na ; wiigwaasi-mitig na

wiigwaasi-jiimaan ni a birch bark canoe

wiigwaasi-makak ni a birch bark basket or box

wiigwaasi-makako-waakaayaagibijigan ni a birchbark basket rim

wiigwaasi-mitig na a birch

[
white birch
; 
Betula papyrifera
]

wiigwaasibag ni a birch leaf

wiigwaasigamig ni a birch bark lodge

wiigwaasikaa vii there are (many) birches

wiigwaasike vai s/he removes birch bark from the tree

wiigwaasinaagan ni a birch bark dish

(verb of making) wiigwaasinaaganike vai s/he makes birch bark basket
wiigwaasinaaganike vai s/he makes birch bark basket

wiigwaasiwi vai it (animate) is a birch

wiij'ayaaw vta be with h/; stay with h/

wiiji- pv lex in company with; with

wiiji-bagizoom vta swim with h/

wiiji-daam vta live beside h/; live with h/

(reciprocal) wiiji-daandiwag vai they live with or by each other
wiiji-daandiwag vai they live with or by each other

wiiji-giiyosem vta hunt with h/

wiiji-minikwem vta drink with h/

wiiji-odaminoom vta play with h/

(reciprocal) wiiji-odaminoondiwag vai they play with each other
wiiji-odaminoondiwag vai they play with each other

wiiji-wanii'igem vta trap with h/

wiijibatoom vta run with h/

wiijibizoom vta drive with h/ ; go on a ride with h/

wiijigamigishkaw vta be a neighbor to h/

wiijigaabawitaw vta stand with h/

wiijigim vta be the same age as h/

(reciprocal) wiijigindiwag vai they are the same age (derived noun) wiijigimaagan na age-mate
wiijigimaagan na age-mate

wiijigindiwag vai they are the same age

wiiji' vta
  1. help h/
  2. play with h/

(reciprocal) wiiji'idiwag vai [BL] [BR] [C] they help each other (detransitive) wiiji'iwe vai s/he accompanies (people); s/he goes along with (people), goes with (people) waawiiji' vta keep helping h/; help each of them
(reciprocal) waawiiji'idiwag vai they keep helping each other
wiiji'idiwag vai [BL] [BR] [C] they help each other

wiiji'idiwin ni mutual help or assistance, helping others

wiiji'igoowizi vai s/he is helped, is helped by a high power

wiiji'iwe vai s/he accompanies (people); s/he goes along with (people), goes with (people)

wiijikiwenyan nad his brother

wiijishimotaw vta dance with h/

(reciprocal) wiijishimotaadiwag vai they dance (with each other)
wiijishimotaadiwag vai they dance (with each other)

wiijitwaa vai [BL] s/he helps out, assists

wiijiindiwag vai they go with, come with, accompany each other

wiijiiw vta go with, come with, accompany h/

(derived noun) wiijiiwaagan na a partner, a companion
(verb of possession) owiijiiwaagani vai s/he has a partner, has a companion
wiijiiwaagan na a partner, a companion

wiikaa adv tmp late; ever; seldom

wiikaage sa pc interj

wiikenh na sweet flag

[
Acorus calamus
]

wiikobidamaw vta
  1. pull (it) for h/
  2. withdraw (it) for h/

wiikobidaw vta pull (it) for h/

wiikobidoon vti2 pull it

Paired with: wiikobizh vta

(benefactive) wiikobidaw vta pull (it) for h/ (benefactive) wiikobidamaw vta
  1. pull (it) for h/
  2. withdraw (it) for h/
 (detransitive) wiikobijige vai s/he pulls things, plays slot machines (verb of undergoing) wiikobijigaade vii it is pulled (by someone), "they" pull it (verb of undergoing) wiikobijigaazo vai s/he or it (animate) is pulled (by someone), "they" pull h/ or it (animate) (derived noun) wiikobijigan ni a drawer, a chest of drawers, a dresser
wiikobijigan ni a drawer, a chest of drawers, a dresser

wiikobijigaade vii it is pulled (by someone), "they" pull it

wiikobijigaazo vai s/he or it (animate) is pulled (by someone), "they" pull h/ or it (animate)

wiikobijige vai s/he pulls things, plays slot machines

wiikobizh vta pull h/

Paired with: wiikobidoon vti2

wiikodaabii vai s/he pulls a load

wiikogaadebizh vta pull h/ by the leg

wiikom vta invite h/ to a feast (especially as part of a religious ceremony)

See also: wiikwam vta

(reciprocal) wiikondiwag vai they feast with each other, have a feast
(derived noun) wiikondiwin ni a feast; a spirit dish: an offering of food at the start of a meal
(detransitive) wiikonge vai s/he gives a feast; s/he invites people to a feast (especially as part of a ceremony)
(causative) wiikonge' vta feast h/, make a feast for h/ (causative) wiikongetoon vti2 feast it, make a feast for it
(derived noun) wiikongewin ni ceremonial food
wiikondiwag vai they feast with each other, have a feast

See also: wiikwandiwag vai

wiikondiwin ni a feast; a spirit dish: an offering of food at the start of a meal

wiikonge vai s/he gives a feast; s/he invites people to a feast (especially as part of a ceremony)

wiikongechigaade vii it is feasted (by someone), "they" feast it

wiikongechigaazo vai it (animate) is feasted (by someone), "they" feast it (animate)

wiikonge' vta feast h/, make a feast for h/

Paired with: wiikongetoon vti2

wiikonge'idim vii there is a feast

wiikongetoon vti2 feast it, make a feast for it

Paired with: wiikonge' vta

wiikongewakik na a feast pot

wiikongewin ni ceremonial food

wiikongewinaagan ni a spirit dish: an offering of food at the start of a meal

wiikonikebizh vta pull h/ by the arm

wiikose vii it pulls, tugs, jerks

wiikoshkaa vai s/he or it (animate) is drawn toward, moves in by h/ self or itself

Paired with: wiikoshkaa vii

wiikoshkaa vii it is drawn toward, moves in by itself

Paired with: wiikoshkaa vai

wiikowebishkan vti draw it out (using the feet or body)

wiikwa'an vti pump it up (out of somewhere); draw it up or out (using something)

wiikwa'ibaan ni a pump (for water)

wiikwa'ibii vai s/he pumps, draws water

(derived noun) wiikwa'ibaan ni a pump (for water)
wiikwaji' vta try to get h/ free from something; try to get h/ to do something

Paired with: wiikwajitoon vti2

wiikwaji'o vai s/he tries to get free; s/he tries, endeavors

wiikwajitoon vti2 try to do it; try to get free of it

Paired with: wiikwaji' vta

wiikwam vta
  1. suck on h/ ; draw on h/ with mouth
  2. invite h/ to a feast (especially as part of a religious ceremony)

Paired with: wiikwandan vti See also: wiikom vta

(detransitive) wiikwange vai s/he invites people (reciprocal) wiikwandiwag vai they feast each other, have a feast
(derived noun) wiikwandiwin ni feast food; a feast
wiikwamo vai s/he sucks

wiikwanaamo vai s/he draws in breath, inhales

wiikwandamaw vta suck (it) out for h/

wiikwandan vti suck on it; draw on it with mouth

Paired with: wiikwam vta

(benefactive) wiikwandamaw vta suck (it) out for h/ (detransitive) wiikwanjige vai s/he sucks on things; s/he draws on things with mouth (verb of undergoing) wiikwanjigaade vii it is sucked out (by someone), "they" suck it out

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.