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Chip·e·wy·an

(chĭp′ə-wīən)

n. pl. Chipewyan or Chip·e·wy·ans

1. A member of a Native American people made up of numerous autonomous bands inhabiting a large area of northern Canada north of the Churchill River. Formerly nomadic caribou hunters, the Chipewyan became settled fur traders during the 18th century.

2. The Athabaskan language of the Chipewyan.

[Cree čīpwayān, parka wearer : cīpw-, pointed + ayān, skin.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

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Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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