Montagnais

[ mon-tuhn-yey, mawn- ]

noun

, plural Mon·ta·gnais [mon-t, uh, n-, yey, -, yeyz, maw, n, -]

1. a member of the southern group of Innu, a First Nation of Quebec and Labrador.
2. the eastern Algonquian language of the southern Innu people, closely related to Cree.

Montagnais

/ ˌmɒntənˈjeɪ /

noun

1. a member of an Innu people living in Labrador and eastern Quebec
2. the Algonquian language of this people

Word History and Origins

Origin of Montagnais¹

First recorded in 1650–60; from Canadian French; literally, “member of a mountain tribe” (in the singular),“mountaineers” (in the plural), derivative of French montagne mountain ( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of Montagnais¹

C18: from French: of the mountain, from montagne mountain

Example Sentences

The lodges of the Montagnais were there,     Who reaped the harvest of the woods and rocks— Skins of the moose and cariboo and bear,     Fur of the beaver, marten, otter, fox.

From Project Gutenberg

But I tell you he is only a wild Montagnais hunter.

From Project Gutenberg

The Montagnais, in his new paint, came around behind me like some savage dog that trusts only his owner.

From Project Gutenberg

You are two white men, a Montagnais dog, and a girl.

From Project Gutenberg

I saw the Oneidas looking on as though stupefied; saw the Saguenay, shoulder deep in witch-hopple, seize something, heard the mad struggle, and ran forward with Tahioni, only to hear the yelping scalp-cry of the Montagnais, and see him in the tangle of witch-hopple, both knees on his victim's shoulders, ripping off the scalp, his arms and body spattered with blood.

From Project Gutenberg