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How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

gigizin vai + o s/he has it in h/ possession, keeps it

gigizhiibaashka'iganimagoode vai s/he wears a jingle dress

gigondashkway nid your throat

gigozis nad your son

gigoodaas nid your dress

gigoonzhe vai s/he has h/ a child or children along with h/

gigwizis nad [BL] your son

See also: gigozis nad

gijaan nid [N] your nose

See also: gijaanzh nid [S]

gijaanzh nid [S] your nose

See also: gijaan nid [N]

gijibide vii it falls off in operation, pops off

Paired with: gijibizo vai

gijibidoon vti2 pull it off, remove it with hands

Paired with: gijibizh vta

gijibizh vta pull h/ off, remove h/ with hands

Paired with: gijibidoon vti2

gijibizo vai s/he or it (animate) exits fast, falls out or off, pops off

gijichaag nad your soul (the spirit within)

gijidaabaadan vti drag it out or off

Paired with: gijidaabaazh vta

gijidaabaazh vta drag h/ off or out

Paired with: gijidaabaadan vti

gijigadaasin vii the snow blown into ripples

gijigadaawangaa vii the sand is rippled

gijigadaawangaa'an vii there are ripples in the sand formed by waves

gijigadinaa vii there is a range of hills, a ridge

gijigaa vii it is rippled

Paired with: gijigizi vai

gijigaabikad vii it (mineral) is corrugated

gijigaagipii vai s/he has h/ ribs show

gijigaanakwagoode vii there are jagged rippled clouds

gijigemikwaane vai its (animate; turtle) shell has ridges

gijigi- pv lex zigzag, rippled

gijigi-baatepin ni [BL] a rippled potato chip

gijigi-moozhwaagan ni pinking shears

gijigijigaaneshiinh na a chickadee

[
Parus spp.
]

See also: jigijigaaneshiinh na [LLC]

gijigikodan vti carve it zigzag or rippled

Paired with: gijigikozh vta

gijigikode vii it is carved zigzag or rippled

Paired with: gijigikozo vii

gijigikozh vta carve h/ zigzag or rippled

Paired with: gijigikodan vti

gijigikozo vii it (animate) is carved zigzag or rippled

Paired with: gijigikode vii

gijigisagad vii it (board) is rippled

gijigizi vai it (animate) is rippled, has ridges

Paired with: gijigaa vii

gijigiigad vii it (sheet-like) is rippled, is zigzag

Paired with: gijigiigizi vai

gijigiigizi vai it (animate; sheet-like) is rippled, is zigzag

Paired with: gijigiigad vii

gijigonewebizh vta pull it (animate) out of the mouth quickly

gijigwaadan vti remove it with something sharp

Paired with: gijigwaazh vta

gijigwaashkwani vai s/he jumps off, jumps out

gijigwaazh vta remove h/ with something sharp

Paired with: gijigwaadan vti

gijikonayezigan na hominy

gijikonayeziganaaboo ni hominey soup

gijiminagishkan vti thresh it by dancing on it

gijinagizhiin vta gut, disembowel h/

gijipizo vai s/he is belted at the waist

gijipizon ni a belt
gijipizon ni a belt

gijipizonaabik ni a belt buckle

gijipizonens ni a fan belt

gijiwebaasin vii it is blown out forcefully

Paired with: gijiwebaashi vai

gijiwebaashi vai s/he or it (animate) is blown out forcefully

Paired with: gijiwebaasin vii

gijiwebin vta pull it (animate) out quickly, dump it (animate) out

gijiwebinan vti pull it out quickly, dump it out

Paired with: gijiwebin vta

gijiid nid your anus

gijiigibidoon vti2 pull it (sheet-like) off

Paired with: gijiigibizh vta

gijiigibizh vta skin h/ (a rabbit)

Paired with: gijiigibidoon vti2

gijiigizhwi vta [NI] cut the hide off h/ (animal), rough skin h/ (an animal)

See also: biitwegizhwi vta [NI]

gijiingwan nad your lap; the front of your thighs and knees

gikachigan ni something pawned, hocked

gikachigaade vii it is pawned, hocked (by someone), "they" pawn, hock it

gikachigaazo vai it (animate) is pawned, hocked (be someone), "they" pawn, hock it (animate)

gikachige vai s/he pawns, hocks things

gikakwan nid your shin

gikan nid your bone

gikas vta pawn, hock h/

See also: gikatoon vti2

gikataw vta [S] pawn, hock (it) for h/

gikatig nid your forhead, brow

gikatoon vti2 pawn, hock it

Paired with: gikas vta

(verb of undergoing) gikachigaade vii it is pawned, hocked (by someone), "they" pawn, hock it (verb of undergoing) gikachigaazo vai it (animate) is pawned, hocked (be someone), "they" pawn, hock it (animate) (derived noun) gikachigan ni something pawned, hocked (detransitive) gikachige vai s/he pawns, hocks things (benefactive) gikataw vta [S] pawn, hock (it) for h/
gikaa vai s/he is elderly, is old, is aged

(derived noun) gikaawin old age
gikaabam vta select, pick h/ using vision

See also: gikaabandan vti

gikaabandan vti select, pick it by using vision

Paired with: gikaabam vta

(detransitive) gikaabanjige vai s/he selects, picks thing by using vision
gikaabanjige vai s/he selects, picks thing by using vision

gikaad nid your leg

gikaakigan nid your chest

gikaawigamig ni elders' residence, nursing home

gikaawin old age

gikendam vai2 s/he knows

(derived noun) gikendamowin ni knowledge
gikendamowin ni knowledge

gikendan vti know it, know about it, find it out, found out about it, realize it

Paired with: gikenim vta

(detransitive) gikenjige vai s/he knows things
gikendaagozi vai s/he is known (by someone), "they" know h/

Paired with: gikendaagwad vii

gikendaagwad vii it is known (by someone), "they" know it

Paired with: gikendaagozi vai

gikendaaso vai s/he is knows, is smart, is intelligent, is educated

(derived noun) gikendaasowin ni intelligence; knowledge
gikendaasowin ni intelligence; knowledge

gikenim vta know h/, know about h/, find out about h/, realize of h/

(reciprocal) gikenindiwag vai they know each other (reflexive) gikenindizo vai s/he knows h/ self
gikenindiwag vai they know each other

gikenindizo vai s/he knows h/ self

gikenjige vai s/he knows things

gikidin nad your vulva

gikinawaabam vta learn by observation of h/; imitate h/

(reciprocal) gikinawaabandiwag vai they learn from each other by watching, imitate each other
gikinawaabandiwag vai they learn from each other by watching, imitate each other

gikinawaabi vai s/he learns by observation

gikinawaadakizo vai it (animate) stands as a marker

gikinawaaj adv man noticeable, recognizable, a certain kind. having a distinct appearance

gikinawaajibii'an vti dot it; trace it

(detransitive) gikinawaajibii'ige vai s/he marks things (verb of undergoing) gikinawaajibii'igaade vii it is marked (by someone), "they" mark it; it is traced by someone, "they" trace it (derived noun) gikinawaajibii'igan ni a sign, a marker; an identifying number: a street address or house number, a phone number
gikinawaajibii'igan ni a sign, a marker; an identifying number: a street address or house number, a phone number

gikinawaajibii'igaade vii it is marked (by someone), "they" mark it; it is traced by someone, "they" trace it

gikinawaajibii'ige vai s/he marks things

gikinawaajichigaade vii it is marked (by someone), "they" mark it

gikinawaajichigaazo vai s/he is marked (by someone), "they" mark h/

gikinawaajichige vai s/he marks things

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

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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.