manitou

[ man-i-too ]

noun

, plural man·i·tous, (especially collectively) man·i·tou.

1. (among the Algonquian people) a supernatural being that controls nature; a spirit, deity, or object that possesses supernatural power.

manitou

/ ˈmænɪˌtəʊ; ˈmænɪˌtuː /

noun

1. (among the Algonquian Indians) a deified spirit or force

Word History and Origins

Origin of manitou¹

First recorded in 1605–15; from Unami Delaware monə́t·u, reinforced by or reborrowed from Ojibwe manidoo and other cognates (all from unrecorded Proto-Algonquian maneto·wa ); spelling influenced by equivalent French word

Word History and Origins

Origin of manitou¹

C17: from Algonquian; related to Ojibwa manito spirit

Example Sentences

The Cross-Island Trail connects land parcels from the island’s western-facing Battle Point to tiny, east-looking Manitou Beach.

From Seattle Times

In “Manitou,” orchestral and electronic blurs envelop the voice of Daniel Monkman, who leads the Canadian band Zoon.

From New York Times

“Manitou” is about memories and mortality: “One foot in the dirt, and one foot in the grave,” he reflects.

From New York Times

In 2014, the trio released “Manitou,” its debut album, incorporating spinning songs in a multitonal feast.

From New York Times

That morning, I’d completed the Manitou Incline, a humbler of a hike that gains more than 2,000 feet of elevation in less than a mile, and just moments before, I’d finished an hour-long deep-tissue massage that unraveled years-old knots and left me feeling relaxed.

From Washington Post