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How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

biite ni foam

(verb of being) biitewan vii it is foamy
biitewan vii it is foamy

biitewaaboo ni beer

biitewaagamin vii it (a liquid) is foamy

biitewidoone vai s/he has foam at the mouth

biitoo- pv lex as a layer

biitoo-babagiwayaan ni an undershirt

See also: biitoo-bagiwayaan ni [BL]

biitoo-bagiwayaan ni [BL] an undershirt

See also: biitoo-babagiwayaan ni

biitoo-giboodiyegwaazon na a pair of underpants

biitoo-midaasens ni [BL] (a pair of) panties

biitoobidoon vti2 split it into layers with hands

Paired with: biitoobizh vta

biitoobizh vta split h/ into layers with hands

Paired with: biitoobidoon vti2

biitoogamaa vii it is a lake parallel to or above another

biitoogamig ni [BL] a porch

biitoogwaadan vti sew a lining in it

Paired with: biitoogwaazh vta

(detransitive) biitoogwaajige vai s/he sews a lining in things (derived noun) biitoogwaajigan ni something sewn in as a liner or lining or something with a liner or lining sewn in it: liner, lining, moccasin liner, quilt with lining
biitoogwaade vii it has a lining sewn in it

Paired with: biitoogwaazo vai

biitoogwaajigan ni something sewn in as a liner or lining or something with a liner or lining sewn in it: liner, lining, moccasin liner, quilt with lining

biitoogwaajige vai s/he sews a lining in things

biitoogwaazh vta sew a lining in it (animate)

Paired with: biitoogwaadan vti

biitoogwaazo vai it (animate) has a lining sewn in it

biitookizin ni an overshoe

biitookizinaan ni an overshoe

biitookizine vai s/he wears overshoes

(derived noun) biitookizinaan ni an overshoe
biitookonaye vai s/he wears layers (as underwear)

biitoomagooday ni [BL] a slip

See also: biitoomagoodaas ni [BL]

biitoomagoodaas ni [BL] a slip

Paired with: biitoomagooday ni [BL]

biitoon vti2 wait for it

Paired with: bii' vta

biitoonigan ni [BL] a sandwich

biitoosidoon vti2 put it in between as a layer

Paired with: biitooshim vta

(derived noun) biitoosijigan na a pie
biitoosijigan na a pie

biitoosijigani-bakwezhigan na a pie

See also: biitoosijigan na

biitoosin vii it lies in a layer

Paired with: biitooshin vai

biitooskobiigaa vii there is slushy water between layers of ice

biitooshim vta put h/ in between as a layer

biitooshin vai s/he lies in a layer

Paired with: biitoosin vii

biitooshkan vti wear an inside layer of it

Paired with: biitooshkaw vta

biitooshkige vai s/he wears underwear on, has underwear on (derived noun) biitooshkigan ni (an item of) underwear
biitooshkaw vta wear an inside layer of it (animate)

Paired with: biitooshkan vti

biitooshkigan ni (an item of) underwear

biitooshkige vai s/he wears underwear on, has underwear on

biitoozh vta slice a piece off h/, it (animate)

Paired with: biitoozhan vti

biitoozhamaw vta slice a piece off (it) for h/

biitoozhan vti slice a piece off it

Paired with: biitoozh vta ; biitoozhwi vta [NI]

biitoozhamaw vta slice a piece off (it) for h/
biitoozhwi vta [NI]

► biitoozh vta

biitwanagekobidoon vti2 peel a layer of bark off it

biitwaabaawadoon vti2 rinse it

Paired with: biitwaabaawazh vta

biitwaabaawazh vta rinse h/ or it (animate)

Paired with: biitwaabaawadoon vti2

biitwaabaawe vii it is rinsed

biitwegizhigewikomaan ni [BL] a filleting knife

biitwegizhwi vta [NI] rough skin h/ (an animal)

biiwam vta eat h/ leaving crumbs

Paired with: biiwandan vti

biiwan vii it is a blizzard

biiwandan vti eat it leaving crumbs

Paired with: biiwam vta

(detransitive) biiwanjige vai s/he eats leaving crumbs
biiwanise vii

biiwanjigan ni crumb or scrap dropped from the mouth

biiwanjige vai s/he eats leaving crumbs

biiway ni an animal hair (of fur), a bristle; [plural] animal hair, fur

biiwaabik ni (a piece of) metal; iron

(verb of being) biiwaabikowan vii it is metal, of metal (verb of being) biiwaabikowi vai s/he is metal, of metal
biiwaabiko-adaawewigamig ni a hardware store

See also: biiwaabikwadaawewigamig ni

biiwaabiko-bakizhigan ni a wirecutter

biiwaabiko-giishkiboojiganens ni [BL] hacksaw

biiwaabiko-jiimaan ni an aluminum canoe

biiwaabiko-miikana ni a train track

biiwaabiko-moona'igan ni an iron mine

biiwaabiko-moozhwaagan ni tinsnips, metal shears

biiwaabiko-zagapijigan ni a chain

biiwaabiko-zaka'on ni a metal cane

biiwaabikokaan ni a mine

biiwaabikoke vai s/he mines, produces metal or iron

biiwaabikokewinini na a miner

biiwaabikonaagan ni a metal bowl

biiwaabikowan vii it is metal, of metal

Paired with: biiwaabikowi vai

biiwaabikowi vai s/he is metal, of metal

Paired with: biiwaabikowan vii

biiwaabikoons ni
  1. wire
  2. a can, a tin
  3. a telephone

biiwaabikwadaawewigamig ni a hardware store

See also: biiwaabiko-adaawewigamig ni

biiwaakoboojigan na a wood scrap left over from sawing, sawdust

biiwaanag na flint

biiwaandagaasin vii the boughs are scattered by the wind

biiwaasin vii it is scattered in wind

biiwaashi vai it (animate) is scattered by wind

biiwaawangisin vii it (something fine) is scattered, is dispersed

Paired with: biiwaawangishin vai

biiwaawangishin vai it (something fine) is scattered, is dispersed

Paired with: biiwaawangisin vii

biiwaawangiwebin vta scatter h/ (somethine fine)

Paired with: biiwaawangiwebinan vti

biiwaawangiwebinan vti scatter it (something fine)

Paired with: biiwaawangiwebin vta

biiwega'igan ni a chip (left from chopping)

biiwibagaasin vii leaves are scattered by the wind

biiwiboodoon vti2 saw or grind it into small particles

Paired with: biiwiboozh vta

biiwiboojigan ni a scrap or particles left from sawing or filing, sawdust
biiwiboojigan ni a scrap or particles left from sawing or filing, sawdust

biiwiboozh vta saw or grind it (animate) into small particles

Paired with: biiwiboodoon vti2

biiwide na a visitor, a guest, a stranger

(verb of being) biiwidewi vai s/he is a visitor, is a guest, is a stranger (verb of possession) obiiwidemi vai s/he has a visitor or visitors, has a guest or guests
biiwidewi vai s/he is a visitor, is a guest, is a stranger

biiwiga'an vti chop it into chips

(detransitive) biiwiga'ige vai s/he chops something into chips (derived noun) biiwiga'igan ni a chip (left from chopping)
biiwiga'igan ni a chip (left from chopping)

biiwiga'ige vai s/he chops something into chips

biiwiga'wi vta [NI] chop it (animate) into chips

Paired with: biiwiga'an vti

biiwikojigan ni a shaving (left from carving)

biiwipon vii there are snow flurries; fine snow falls

biiwise vii it scatters, disperses

Paired with: biiwise vai

biiwise vai s/he scatters, disperses

Paired with: biiwise vii

biiwisidoon vti2 scatter, disperse it

Paired with: biiwishim vta

biiwisin vii it is scattered, is dispersed

Paired with: biiwishin 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.

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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.