Athabaskan
[ ath-uh-bas-kuh n ]
/ ˌæθ əˈbæs kən /
noun
a family of languages spoken by American Indians in most of inland northwest Canada and Alaska, in coastal Oregon and California, and in Arizona and the Rio Grande basin, and including especially Navajo, Apache, and Chipewyan.
Compare family(def 14).
a member of any of various American Indian peoples speaking Athabaskan.
adjective
belonging to or characteristic of the Athabaskans.
Origin of Athabaskan
1770–80; earlier
Athapasca(s), introduced as a term for the Canadian Athabaskans (< Woods Cree
ahδapaska·w Lake Athabaska, literally, there are reeds here and there < Proto-Algonquian
*aʔlap(y)- net, reticulated +
*-ašk- plant + derivational elements) +
-an
Definition for athapascan (2 of 2)
Example sentences from the Web for athapascan
British Dictionary definitions for athapascan
Athapascan
Athapaskan Athabascan or Athabaskan (ˌæθəˈbæskən)
/ (ˌæθəˈpæskən) /
noun
a group of North American Indian languages belonging to the Na-Dene phylum, including Apache and Navaho
a speaker of one of these languages
Word Origin for Athapascan
from Cree
athapaskaaw scattered grass or reeds