Tanoan

[ tah-noh-uhn ]

noun

1. an American Indian language family of which the three surviving languages are spoken in several pueblos, including Taos, in northern New Mexico near the Rio Grande.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Tanoan¹

Coined by J.W. Powell in 1891 as Tañoan, based on American Spanish Tagno ( -an ); gn misinterpreted as equivalent to Spanish ñ, variant of Tano, ethnic name of Southern Tewa subgroup of Tanoans, from Southern Tewa tʰá·nu

Example Sentences

He was at the intersection of Tanoan and Cypress NE when the vehicle struck him.

From Washington Times

If you have any connections at Albuquerque CC or Tanoan CC, consider using them.

From Golf Digest

A house building people of the Tanoan Group, Rio Grande valley, N. M. Te-get-ha Taos Pueblo, N. M. One of the best examples of the terraced, five storied, pre-Columbian architecture, still inhabited.

From Project Gutenberg

In fact, there is no Tusayan ruin which resembles it in ground plan, except Payüpki, a Tanoan town of much later construction.

From Project Gutenberg

The most expert modern potter at East Mesa is Nampéo, a Tanoan woman who is a thorough artist in her line of work.

From Project Gutenberg