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megwekob adv loc in the brush, in a thicket

mekadewikonaye na a priest

mekadewikonayed na-v a priest

Paired with: makadewikonaye na

mekadewikonayewikwe na a nun

mekadewikonayewinini na a priest

memaangishens na a mule

meme na a pileated woodpecker

[
pileated woodpecker
; 
Dryocopus pileatus
]

memegwesi na a hairy-faced bank-dwelling dwarf spirit

memengwaa na a butterfly

memeshkod adv man in turn, in exchange

memeshkwad adv man in turns, alternately

See also: memeshkod adv man

memeshkwadoonamaadiwag vai they exchange things with each other

memeshkwajiiwag vai they take turns

memidaaswi qnt num ten each

memindage adv man especially, particularly, above all, of course

memindage go adv man especially, particularly, above all, of course

See also: memindage adv man

memookiwidoo na a pocket gopher

[
plains pocket gopher
; 
Geomys bursarius
]

memwech adv man just that, exactly, it is so

See also: gaawiin memwech adv man ; gego memwech adv pred

menwaagamig ni-v a soft drink; pop

meskwanagekozid na-v cinnamon

meskwananiisi na [BL] a red-tailed hawk

[
red-tailed hawk
; 
Buteo jamaicensis
]

meskwaazhigwaneshi na a redhorse (fish)

[
Moxostoma spp.
]

meshkod adv man in turn, in exchange

See also: meshkwad adv man

meshkodakizine vai s/he changes h/ shoes

meshkodendam vai2 [BL] s/he changes h/ (own) mind

meshkodendamo' vta change h/ mind, make h/ change h/ mind

meshkodoon vta trade, exchange h/

Paired with: meshkodoonan vti See also: meshkwadoon vta

meshkodoonamaw vta trade, exchange (it) with h/

See also: meshkwadoonamaw vta

meshkodoonamaage vai s/he trades, exchanges (it) with (people)

See also: meshkwadoonamaage vai

meshkodoonan vti exchange it

Paired with: meshkodoon vta See also: meshkwadoonan vti

(benefactive) meshkodoonamaw vta trade, exchange (it) with h/
(detransitive) meshkodoonamaage vai s/he trades, exchanges (it) with (people)
meshkojibidoon vti2 change, switch it (with the hands)

Paired with: meshkojibizh vta

meshkojibizh vta change, switch it (animate) (with the hands)

Paired with: meshkojibidoon vti2

meshkojikanebizo vai [BL] s/he changes lanes

meshkojikonaye vai [BL] s/he changes clothes

meshkojikonaye' vta [BL] change h/ clothes

meshkojisidoon vti2 replace it

Paired with: meshkojishim vta

meshkojishim vta change one for other of it (animate), replace it (animate)

Paired with: meshkojisidoon vti2

meshkwad adv man in turn, in exchange

See also: meshkod adv man

meshkwadabi vai s/he switches h/ seat

meshkwadoon vta trade, exchange h/

Paired with: meshkwadoonan vti See also: meshkodoon vta

meshkwadoonamaw vta trade, exchange (it) with h/

See also: meshkodoonamaw vta

meshkwadoonamaadiwag vai they trade, exchange (it) with each other

meshkwadoonamaage vai s/he trades, exchanges things with people

See also: meshkodoonamaage vai

meshkwadoonan vti trade, exchange it

Paired with: meshkwadoon vta See also: meshkodoonan vti

(detransitive) meshkwadoonige vai s/he trades things, exchanges things (benefactive) meshkwadoonamaw vta trade, exchange (it) with h/
(detransitive) meshkwadoonamaage vai s/he trades, exchanges things with people (reciprocal) meshkwadoonamaadiwag vai they trade, exchange (it) with each other
meshkwadoonige vai s/he trades things, exchanges things

meshkwajigaabawi vai s/he switches h/ position standing

meta adv man it is only that

metasin vta miss (the presence of) h/

Paired with: metasinan vti

metasinan vti miss (the presence of) it

Paired with: metasin vta

metasishin vai s/he misss an event, gets somewhere too late

mewinzha adv tmp a long time ago, long ago

michaya'ii adv loc [N] on the floor; on the ground

See also: michayi'ii adv loc

michayi'ii adv loc on the floor; on the ground

See also: michaya'ii adv loc [N]

michaa vii it is big, is large

Paired with: mindido vai

michaabaminaagwad vii it appears big

michaabikad vii it is big (as something mineral)

Paired with: michaabikizi vai

michaabikizi vai
  1. it (animate; mineral ) is big
  2. it is full (of the moon), there is a full moon

Paired with: michaabikad vii

michaabiigad vii it (string-like) is big, is thick

Paired with: michaabiigizi vai

michaabiigizi vai it (animate; string-like) is big, is thick

Paired with: michaabiigad vii

michaakozi vai s/he is big (as something stick- or wood-like)

Paired with: michaakwad vii

michaakwad vii it (stick-like) is big

Paired with: michaakozi vai

michaakwashkad vii it (plant) has a big stalk

michaakwaanowe vai s/he has a big furry tail

michaanowe vai s/he (an animal) has a big tail

See also: mangaanowe vai

michaatoon vti2 make it big, enlarge it

Paired with: mindido' vta

michichin ni [BL] a thumb

See also: midechininj ni [S]

michidiye vai s/he is bare-assed

michidiyeshin vai s/he lies with h/ rear uncovered

michidoodooshime vai she is bare-breasted

michigaade vai s/he is bare-legged

michigaadeshin vai s/he lies with h/ leg or legs uncovered

michikanaakobijigan ni a fence

michimisade vai s/he is bare-bellied

michinike vai s/he is bare-armed

michinikeshin vai s/he lies with h/ arm or arms uncovered

michininjiikanjige vai s/he eats with h/ fingers

michisag ni a floor

michisag adv loc on the floor

michisin vii
  1. it lies bare, lies uncovered
  2. it lies right on the floor or the ground

Paired with: michishin vai

michishin vai
  1. s/he lies bare, lies uncovered
  2. s/he lies right on the floor or the ground

Paired with: michisin vii

michizideshin vai s/he lies with h/ foot or feet uncovered

michizigwaa vii there is bare ice

michiigad vii it (sheet-like) is big

Paired with: michiigizi vai

michiigishkan vti wear it right against the skin

(detransitive) michiigishkige vai s/he goes without underwear
michiigishkige vai s/he goes without underwear

michiigizi vai it (animate; sheet-like) is big

Paired with: michiigad vii

michiingwaan ni uncovered face, bare face; face-to-face

michiingwe vai h/ face is uncovered, is bare

michiingweshin vai s/he lies with h/ face uncovered

midaaching adv tmp ten times

midaachinoon vii they (inanimate) are ten, there are ten of them

Paired with: midaachiwag vai

midaachiwag vai they (animate) are ten, there are ten of them

Paired with: midaachinoon vii

midaaso qnt num [RL] ten

See also: midaaswi qnt num

midaaso- pv qnt ten

midaaso-anama'e-giizhigad adv tmp ten weeks

midaaso-anama'e-giizhik qnt num ten weeks

midaaso-anama'e-giizhikwagad vii it is ten weeks

midaaso-biboon qnt num ten years; ten winters

midaaso-biboonagad vii it is ten years

midaaso-biboonagizi vai s/he is ten years old

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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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.