Search the dictionary Advanced Search

How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

biijimaam vta smell h/

Paired with: biijimaandan vti

(reciprocal) biijimaandiwag vai they smell each other
biijimaandan vti smell it

Paired with: biijimaam vta

(detransitive) biijimaanjige vai s/he smells something, perceives the smell of things
(verb of use) biijimaanjigaagen vai + o use it to smell with
(derived noun) biijimaanijigan ni something smelled; something used to smell with: ant antenna
biijimaandiwag vai they smell each other

biijimaanijigan ni something smelled; something used to smell with: ant antenna

biijimaanjigan ni something that can be smelled, something smelly; [possessed forms] something that smells things, that senses odors: an ant's antenna, a snake's tongue, etc.

biijimaanjigaagen vai + o use it to smell with

biijimaanjige vai s/he smells something, perceives the smell of things

biijimaanjigewanimosh na a tracking dog

biijimaaso vai s/he gives off a smell in cooking or burning

Paired with: biijimaate vii

biijimaate vii it gives off a smell in cooking or burning

Paired with: biijimaaso vai

biijinigaadan vti bring, carry it here on the shoulder

Paired with: biijinigaazh vta

biijinigaazh vta bring, carry h/ here on the shoulder

Paired with: biijinigaadan vti

biijinige vai s/he brings, carries something here on the shoulder

(applicative) biijinigaadan vti bring, carry it here on the shoulder (applicative) biijinigaazh vta bring, carry h/ here on the shoulder
biijinikaa vii it moves

biijinizhimo vai s/he flees here

biijip vta taste it (animate), get the taste it (animate)

Paired with: biijipidan vti

biijipidan vti taste it, get the taste of it

Paired with: biijip vta

biijipon vii snow comes

biijisatoon vti2 cough it up; force it up

biijise vai s/he flies here

Paired with: biijise vii

biijise vii it flies here

Paired with: biijise vai

biijishimo vai s/he comes dancing

biijiwane vai s/he brings a pack

biijiwidaaso vai s/he carries a load here, hauls freight here

biijiwidoon vti2 take, carry it here

Paired with: biijiwizh vta

(detransitive) biijiwidaaso vai s/he carries a load here, hauls freight here
biijiwizh vta take, carry h/ here

biijwebin vta throw h/ here

Paired with: biijwebinan vti

biijwebinamaw vta throw (it) here to h/

biijwebinan vti throw it here

Paired with: biijwebin vta

(benefactive) biijwebinamaw vta throw (it) here to h/
biimagoode vii it hangs lopsided, hangs crooked

biima'igan ni [BL] a tool that turns: a screwdriver, a wrench

biimapide vii it is tied crosswise, crooked, or twisted

Paired with: biimapizo vai

biimapidoon vti2 tie it crosswise, crooked, or twisted

Paired with: biimapizh vta

biimapikaanidizo vai s/he braids h/ hair crooked

biimapikaazh vta braid h/ hair crooked

biimapizh vta tie h/ or it (animate) crosswise, crooked, or twisted

Paired with: biimapidoon vti2

biimapizo vai s/he or it (animate) is tied crosswise, crooked, or twisted

Paired with: biimapide vii

biimasko- pv lex twist, screw

biimasko-zaga'igan ni [BL] a screw

biimasko-zagaakwa'igan ni [RL] a screw

biimaskobidoon vti2 twist it, turn it around (with the hands)

Paired with: biimaskobizh vta

biimaskobizh vta twist it (animate), turn it (animate) around (with the hands)

Paired with: biimaskobidoon vti2

biimaskoganese vai s/he twists h/ ankle

biimaskogaabawi vai s/he twista around standing

biimaskogi vai s/he grows twisted

Paired with: biimaskogin vii

biimaskogin vii it grows twisted

Paired with: biimaskogi vai

biimaskokan vti twist it, turn it around (with foot or body)

Paired with: biimaskokaw vta

biimaskokaw vta twist h/, turn h/ around (with foot or body)

Paired with: biimaskokan vti

biimaskon vta twist, turn h/ (around a central point)

Paired with: biimaskonan vti

biimaskonan vti twist, turn it (around a central point)

Paired with: biimaskon vta

biimaskowebin vta spin h/ around

Paired with: biimaskowebinan vti

biimaskowebinan vti spin it around

Paired with: biimaskowebin vta

biimaskwa' vta twist, screw h/ (using something)

Paired with: biimaskwa'an vti

biimaskwa'an vti twist, screw it (using something)

See also: biimiskwa'an vti

biimaskwa'igan ni a tool that turns: a screwdriver, a wrench
biimaskwa'igan ni a tool that turns: a screwdriver, a wrench

See also: biimiskwa'igan ni

biimaskwaakwa'an vti turn it (a log) (using something)

biimaskwaakwa'igan ni something used to turn logs: a cant hook

biimaskwaasin vii it shifts, turns in the wind

Paired with: biimaskwaashi vai

biimaskwaashi vai s/he shifts, turns in the wind

Paired with: biimaskwaasin vii

biimashkwemaginigan ni a bark torch

biimaya'ii adv loc off side, off to the side

biimaabide'an vti set the teeth on it (a saw)

biimaabide'igan ni a saw set

biimaabika' vta twist h/ (mineral) (using something); wind h/ (a clock)

biimaakwad ni a vine

biimaakwa'an vti twist it with a stick, wring it out by twisting it with a stick

biimaakwa'ige vai s/he twists something with a stick, wrings something out by twisting it with a stick

biimaakwa'o vai s/he is buttoned up crooked

biimaatig ni a vine

(verb of making) biimaatigoke vai s/he harvest vines
biimaatigoke vai s/he harvest vines

biimi- pv lex twisted, warped

biimidoon vai s/he has a twisted or crooked mouth (as from a stroke)

See also: biimidoone vai [N]

biimidoone vai [N] s/he has a crooked mouth

See also: biimidoon vai

biimidooneni vai s/he twists h/ mouth sideways

biimigwaadan vti sew it crooked

Paired with: biimigwaazh vta

biimigwaade vii it is sewn crooked

Paired with: biimigwaazo vai

biimigwaaso vai s/he sews things crooked

biimigwaazh vta sew it (animate) crooked

Paired with: biimigwaadan vti

biimigwaazo vai it (animate) is sewn crooked

Paired with: biimigwaade vii

biimigweshin vai s/he lies with t h/ neck crooked

biimijaane vai s/he has a crooked nose

biimin vta twist, turn h/ (around a central point)

Paired with: biiminan vti

biiminakwaadan vti twist it, turn it around (with the hands); twist it into cord, string, rope or twine

biiminakwaan ni a line made of twisted fiber or metal: rope, twine, cable

biiminakwaanens ni string, a string

biiminakwaanike vai s/he makes cord, rope, string, or twine

biiminakwe vai s/he twists fiber to make cord, string, rope, or twine

(applicative) biiminakwaadan vti twist it, turn it around (with the hands); twist it into cord, string, rope or twine (derived noun) biiminakwaan ni a line made of twisted fiber or metal: rope, twine, cable
biiminakwaanens ni string, a string (verb of making) biiminakwaanike vai s/he makes cord, rope, string, or twine
biiminan vti turn, twist it (around a central point)

Paired with: biimin vta

biiminigan ni a brace and bit
biiminigan ni a brace and bit

biimiskodisii na a snail

biimiskon vta turn, twist h/ (by hand); twist, turn h/ (around a central point)

Paired with: biimiskonan vti

biimiskonan vti turn, twist it (around a central point)

Paired with: biimiskon vta

(derived noun) biimiskonigan ni a screw
biimiskonigan ni a screw

biimiskonikeshin vai s/he falls and twists h/ arm

biimiskwa'an vti twist, screw it (using something)

See also: biimaskwa'an vti

(derived noun) biimiskwa'igan ni a tool that turns: a screwdriver, a wrench biimiskwa'igaans ni a screw
biimiskwa'igan ni a tool that turns: a screwdriver, a wrench

See also: biimaskwa'igan ni

biimiskwa'igaans ni a screw

biimishkan vti wear it sideways or askew

biimitaagozi vai s/he or it (animate) sounds off, sounds distorted

Paired with: biimitaagwad vii

biimitaagwad vii it sounds off, sounds distorted

Paired with: biimitaagozi vai

The Ojibwe People's Dictionary is developed and maintained by:
Nora Livesay, Editor
John D. Nichols, Founder and Linguistic Editor

with support and collaboration from the University of Minnesota's Department of American Indian Studies and University Libraries.

Additional Resources

Many of the words in the Ojibwe People's Dictionary have related resources. Click through to the full dictionary entry to hear audio recordings, see images, read documents and watch videos. Here's a key to resource icons.

  • Audio recordings
  • Images
  • Video
  • Documents

Speakers & Regions Key

Individual speakers and speakers from different regions use different words when speaking. Each audio recording is marked with the initials of the Ojibwe speaker. Click on a speaker's initials to go to the speaker's bio page. If an Ojibwe word is particular to a certain region, it will be marked with a region code. Click on the region code to go to the Regions page.