Tlingit

American  

[tling-git] / ˈtlɪŋ gɪt /

noun

plural

Tlingits,

plural

Tlingit

1. a member of any of a number of Indigenous peoples of the coastal regions of southern Alaska and northern British Columbia.

2. the language of the Tlingit, a Na-Dene language.

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Tlingit British  

/ ˈtlɪŋɡɪt /

noun

1. a member of a seafaring group of North American Indian peoples inhabiting S Alaska and N British Columbia

2. the language of these peoples, belonging to the Na-Dene phylum

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Etymology

Origin of Tlingit

First recorded in 1865–70; from Tlingit tłingít “human being, person, Tlingit”

Example Sentences

“We are a far cry from where we were last year,” said Roald Helgesen, chief operating officer of the Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska based in Juneau.

From The Wall Street Journal • Aug. 13, 2025

Share a bit about your research into Alaska Native cultures and why the Tlingit people became a compelling element in the novel.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 17, 2025

Hall was born into the Tlingit tribe in a small fishing village in Alaska.

From Salon • Dec. 26, 2024

The statue is important in continuing to share Indigenous history, said Lekanoff, who is part Tlingit and Aleut.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 15, 2024

The Tlingit elder’s quiet presence was better than the endless hours alone.

From "Touching Spirit Bear" by Ben Mikaelsen