Nootka
Americannoun
plural
Nootkas,plural
Nootkanoun
-
a member of a North American Indian people living in British Columbia and Vancouver Island
-
the language of this people, belonging to the Wakashan family
Etymology
Origin of Nootka
First recorded in 1780–90; possibly from Nootka nu⋅tka⋅ “to circle around,” mistaken by Captain James Cook to be the name of the people or of Nootka Sound
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
On Nootka Island and mainland B.C., most of the unprotected old growth is already logged and the harvest now is in second-growth.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 19, 2023
He wrote: "King George's Sound was the appellation given by the Commodore to this inlet, on our first arrival; but he was afterwards informed that the natives called it Nootka."
From BBC • Jan. 22, 2023
Both drew inspiration for their work from their study of North American languages such as Nootka, Shawnee and Hopi.
From The Guardian • Jul. 27, 2018
Sept. 5; see Edward Curtis’ “The North American Indian,” Volume 11, the Nootka and Haida nations, 10:30 a.m.
From Seattle Times • Aug. 24, 2017
In the spring of 1789, the two latter vessels returned to Nootka Sound, and found the Columbia had joined her consort the Washington, and both had wintered there.
From The Oregon Territory Its History and Discovery by Twiss, Travers
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
