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How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

manidoowegin ni trade cloth, broadcloth

manidoowi vai s/he is or becomes a manitou, a spirit, god; s/he acquires spirit power

manijoosh na [N] a bug, an insect, a worm

manisaw vta cut (it) as firewood for h/

manisaadan vti cut it as firewood

manisaan ni [BL] (a stick of) firewood

manisaazh vta cut h/ as firewood

Paired with: manisaadan vti

manisaazo vai s/he cuts firewood for h/ self

manise vai s/he harvests, cuts firewood

(applicative) manisaadan vti cut it as firewood (applicative) manisaazh vta cut h/ as firewood (benefactive) manisetamaw vta cut firewood for h/ (benefactive) manisaw vta cut (it) as firewood for h/
(reflexive) manisaazo vai s/he cuts firewood for h/ self
(derived noun) manisaan ni [BL] (a stick of) firewood
manisekana ni a wood-cutting trail

manisetamaw vta cut firewood for h/

maniwiigwaase vai s/he gathers birch bark

manoomin ni wild rice

[
northern wild rice
; 
Zizania palustris
]

(verb of abundance) manoominikaa vii there is (a lot of) wild rice (verb of making) manoominike vai s/he rices, goes ricing, makes rice, picks rice, harvests wild rice
(derived noun) manoominikewin ni ricing, harvesting wild rice (derived noun) manoominikaan ni finished wild rice
manoominaganzh ni a wild rice stalk

manoominagaawanzh ni a wild rice plant

manoominashk ni a wild rice stalk

manoominaaboo ni wild rice broth or soup

(verb of making) manoominaabooke vai s/he makes wild rice broth or soup
manoominaabooke vai s/he makes wild rice broth or soup

manoominaatig ni a wild rice stalk

manoomini-bakwezhigan na wild rice bannock

manoomini-manidoosh na a wild rice worm

manoomini-mashkimod ni a bag or sack for wild rice

manoomini-mowens ni an undeveloped wild rice grain

manoomini-waabigwan ni a wild rice flower

manoominijiibik ni root of the wild rice plant

manoominikaa vii there is (a lot of) wild rice

manoominikaan ni finished wild rice

manoominike vai s/he rices, goes ricing, makes rice, picks rice, harvests wild rice

manoominike-giizis na the moon of ricing occuring in August or September

See also: manoominikewi-giizis na [BL]

manoominike-giiziswagad vii it is the rice-gathering month

manoominike-jiimaanens ni a rice boat

manoominike-mazina'igaans ni [ML] a ricing license

manoominikeshiinh na a rice bird

manoominikewi-giizis na [BL] the moon of ricing occuring in August or September

See also: manoominike-giizis na

manoominikewin ni ricing, harvesting wild rice

manoominitigweyaa vii it (a river) has wild rice growing in it

manoominiwazh ni a bag or sack for wild rice; a bag or sack filled with wild rice

manoominii na a Menominee

See also: omanoominii na

mash mash pc interj [call to dog or dog team to go]

mashi adv tmp yet

mashkawadaawangaa vii there is hard sand, packed sand

mashkawadin vii it freezes, is frozen solid

Paired with: mashkawaji vai

mashkawaji vai s/he freezes stiff, is frozen stiff, has frostbite

Paired with: mashkawadin vii See also: mashkawaakwaji vai

mashkawaji-bimide ni lard; tallow

mashkawajininjiiwaji vai s/he has a hand stiff from cold

mashkawakamigaa vii it is hard ground

mashkawakide vii it is stuck firmly into the ground

Paired with: mashkawakizo vai

mashkawakidoon vti2 stick it firmly into the ground, stake it securely

mashkawakizh vta stick h/ firmly into the ground

Paired with: mashkawakidoon vti2

mashkawakizo vai iit (animate) is stuck firmly into the ground

Paired with: mashkawakide vii

mashkawakwazhiwe vai s/he is a powerful paddler

mashkawanokii vai s/he works hard, does heavy work, labors

(applicative) mashkawanokiitan vti work hard on or at it (applicative) mashkawanokiitaw vta work hard for h/
mashkawanokiitan vti work hard on or at it

Paired with: mashkawanokiitaw vta

mashkawanokiitaw vta work hard for h/

Paired with: mashkawanokiitan vti

mashkawapide vii it is tied tight

Paired with: mashkawapizo vai

mashkawapidoon vti2 tie it tight

Paired with: mashkawapizh vta

mashkawapizh vta tie h/ tight

Paired with: mashkawapidoon vti2

mashkawapizo vai s/he is tied tight

Paired with: mashkawapide vii

mashkawaa vii it is strong, is hard, is dense

Paired with: mashkawizi vai

mashkawaabikad vii it (mineral) is strong

Paired with: mashkawaabikizi vai

mashkawaabikizi vai it (animate; mineral) is strong

Paired with: mashkawaabikad vii

mashkawaabiigad vii it (string-like) is tough, is stiff

Paired with: mashkawaabiigizi vai

mashkawaabiigizi vai s/he is tough, is stiff (string-like)

Paired with: mashkawaabiigad vii

mashkawaagamichige vai s/he makes a strong drink

mashkawaagamide vii it is brewed strong

mashkawaagamin vii it (a liquid) is strong

mashkawaagamitaw vta s/he makes it (liquid) strong for h/

mashkawaagamitoon vti2 make it (a liquid) strong

(detransitive) mashkawaagamichige vai s/he makes a strong drink
mashkawaagonewadin vii there is a hard crust on the snow

mashkawaakadode vii it dries up hard

Paired with: mashkawaakadozo vai

mashkawaakadozo vai it (animate) dries up hard

mashkawaakoninjiiwaji vai h/ hand is frozen, h/ fingers are frozen

mashkawaakozi vai s/he is dense (o.s.); s/he is hard (o.s.); s/he (stick-like) is strong, is hard, is dense

Paired with: mashkawaakwad vii

mashkawaakozidewaji vai s/he has frozen foot

mashkawaakwad vii it (stick-like) is strong, is hard, is dense

Paired with: mashkawaakozi vai

mashkawaakwadin vii it freezes stiff, is frozen stiff

Paired with: mashkawaakwaji vai

mashkawaakwa'an vti tighten it down (with something like nails, screws, clamps, etc.)

mashkawaakwaji vai s/he freezes stiff, is frozen stiff, has frostbite

Paired with: mashkawaakwadin vii

mashkawaakwaji-gashkiiginige-mazina'igan ni freezer paper

mashkawaakwajidoon vti2 freeze it stiff

Paired with: mashkawaakwajim vta

(derived noun) mashkawaakwajijigan ni [BL] a freezer
mashkawaakwajijigan ni [BL] a freezer

mashkawaakwajijigani-makak ni [BL] a freezer

See also: mashkawaakwajijigan ni [BL]

mashkawaakwajim vta freeze h/ stiff

Paired with: mashkawaakwajidoon vti2

mashkawaakwajininjiiwaji vai s/he has a frozen hand or frozen hands

mashkawaakwajitawagewaji vai h/ ear is frozen

mashkawaakwakamigadin vii the ground is frozen solid

mashkawaakwegad vii it (sheet-like) is stiff

Paired with: mashkawaakwegizi vai

mashkawaakwegizi vai it (animate; sheet-like) is stiff

Paired with: mashkawaakwegad vii

mashkawaakwii vai s/he hangs on tight to something solid

mashkawaakwiingwewaji vai s/he has a frozen face

mashkawaanimad vii it is a strong wind

mashkawaate vii it is a strong light

mashkawegad vii it (sheet-like) is strong

Paired with: mashkawegizi vai

mashkawegizi vai it (animate; sheet-like) is strong

Paired with: mashkawegad vii

mashkawibide vii it runs, drives, operates powerfully

mashkawibizo vai s/he runs, drives, operates powerfully

Paired with: mashkawibide vii

mashkawigad vii it is strong, hard wood

Paired with: mashkawigizi vai

mashkawigane vai s/he has strong bones

mashkawigaabawi vai s/he stands strong

mashkawigizi vai it (animate; wood) is strong, is hard

Paired with: mashkawigad vii

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.