Search the dictionary Advanced Search

How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

washkigaabawi vai s/he turns while standing

washkigiiwe vai s/he turns and goes back

washkikaa vai s/he suddenly changes directions, changes h/ course

washkitigweyaa vii it (a river) flows around a bend

wawaabijiiyaabi vai s/he has grey eyes

wawaabishe'o vai the sun has sun dogs

wawaabishkitawage vai s/he has white ears

wawaaga'amii vai s/he walks bow-legged

wawaagigaade vai s/he is bow-legged

wawaagizide vai s/he is pigeon-toed

wawaagizide'amii vai s/he walks pigeon-toed

wawaagizidekawe vai s/he leaves pigeon-toed tracks

wawaanendam vai2 s/he doesn't know what to do or think, is dumbfounded

wawaanendami' vta

wawaasaabizo vai h/ eyes shine

wawaasese vii there is lightning

wawaashkitigweyaa vii it is a winding river

wawaawashkamon vii it is a winding road or trail

wawaawashkaakozi vai it (stick-like, animate) is crooked, is a crooked tree

wawaawashkaakwad vii it (stick-like) is crooked, is a crooked stick

Paired with: wawaawashkaakozi vai

wawenabi vai s/he is sits down, stays seated; s/he makes a place for h/ self to sit

wawepizo vai a/he dresses up

wawezhichigaade vii it is decorated (by someone), "they" decorate it

wawezhichigaazo vai s/he is decorated (by someone), "they" decorate h/

wawezhichige vai s/he decorates things

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.