Search the dictionary Advanced Search

How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

noogibizh vta flag h/ down; stop h/ or it (animate) (with the hands)

Paired with: noogibidoon vti2

noogibizo vai s/he stops driving, stops speeding, parks

Paired with: noogibide vii

noogibizoni' vta stop h/ (the motor), park h/

noogibizonitoon vti2 park it

Paired with: noogibizoni' vta

noogidaabii'iwe vai s/he stops driving a team of horses

noogigaabawi vai s/he stops and stands in place

noogin vta stop h/, stop h/ with the hand

Paired with: nooginan vti

nooginan vti stop it, stop it with the hand

Paired with: noogin vta

noogise vai s/he suddenly comes to a stop

Paired with: noogise vii

noogise vii it suddenly comes to a stop

Paired with: noogise vai

noogishkaa vai s/he comes to a stop, stops moving, stops and stays

Paired with: noogishkaa vii

noogishkaa vii it comes to a stop, stops moving

Paired with: noogishkaa vai

noogishkaa' vta stop h/ or it (animate) moving, make h/ or it (animate) stop moving

Paired with: noogishkaatoon vti2

noogishkaatoon vti2 stop it moving, make it stop moving

Paired with: noogishkaa' vta

noogishkaawigamig ni a hotel or hotel room

noogitaa vai s/he stops herself/himself, holds herself/himself back

noogiweba'an vti stop it using something

noogiwebishkan vti kick it to stop it; stop it quickly (with foot or body)

noogii vai s/he stops doing something, hesitates

noojigiigoonyiwe vai s/he goes fishing

noojigiigoonyiwe-mazina'igaans ni a fishing license

nooji' vta seek, go after, hunt h/

Paired with: noojitoon vti2

(detransitive) nooji'iwe vai s/he seeks, goes after, hunts people
nooji'ikwewe vai he goes after a woman or women, courts a woman

nooji'ikwewe-nagamo vai s/he sings a courting song

(derived noun) nooji'ikwewe-nagamon ni a courting song
nooji'ikwewe-nagamon ni a courting song

nooji'iwe vai s/he seeks, goes after, hunts people

noojimo vai s/he heals, recovers from an illness

(causative) noojimo' vta heal h/; cure h/
(reflexive) noojimo'idizo vai s/he heals, cures h/self (detransitive) noojimo'iwe vai s/he heals people; s/he cures people
(derived noun) noojimo'iwewin ni healing, curing
noojimo' vta cure h/; heal h/

noojimo'idizo vai s/he heals, cures h/self

noojimo'iwe vai s/he cures people; s/he heals people

noojimo'iwewin ni healing, curing

noojimoowi-wiisiniwin ni medicinal food, healing food

noojinamewe vai s/he goes after sturgeon, goes fishing for sturgeon

See also: noodamewe vai

noojitoon vti2 seek, go after, hunt it

Paired with: nooji' vta

noojiwigiizhwaam vta talk flirtatiously to h/

noojiwigiizhwaandiwag vai they talk flirtatiously to each other

noojiwigiizhwe vai s/he talks flirtatiously

(applicative) noojiwigiizhwaam vta talk flirtatiously to h/
(reciprocal) noojiwigiizhwaandiwag vai they talk flirtatiously to each other
noojiikaw vta flirt with h/

noojiikodaadiwag vai [BL] they flirt with each other

nookabi vai s/he sits on a soft seat

(derived noun) nookabiwin ni an easy chair
nookabiwin ni an easy chair

nookada' vta pound it (animate) soft; soften it (animate) (by hitting with something)

Paired with: nookada'an vti

nookada'an vti pound it soft; soften it (by hitting with something)

Paired with: nookada' vta ; nookada'wi vta [NI]

nookada'wi vta [NI]

► nookada' vta

nookadaawangaa vii there is soft sandy ground

nookadin vii it is frozen soft (as dangerous ice)

nookagwinde vii it is softened by soaking

Paired with: nookagwinjin vai

nookagwinjidoon vti soak it to soften it

Paired with: nookagwinjim vta

nookagwinjim vta soak it (animate) to soften it

Paired with: nookagwinjidoon vti

nookagwinjin vai it (animate) is softened by soaking

Paired with: nookagwinde vii

nooka'an vti soften it (using something)

nooka'iskawaan ni

nooka'iskawe vai s/he makes smoked fish pemmican

nooka'iiwagwaan ni pemmican; pounded meat

nooka'iiwagwe vai s/he pounds meat, makes pemmican

(derived noun) nooka'iiwagwaan ni pounded meat; pemmican
nookakamigaa vii there is soft ground

nookam vta soften h/ in the mouth

nookandan vti soften it in the mouth

Paired with: nookam vta

(detransitive) nookanjige vai s/he softens things in the mouth
nookanjige vai s/he softens things in the mouth

nookashkweyaa vii it is soft birch bark

nookaa vii it is soft, is tender

Paired with: nookizi vai

nookaabaawadoon vti2 soften it with water

Paired with: nookaabaawazh vta

nookaabaawazh vta soften h/ with water

Paired with: nookaabaawadoon vti2

nookaabaawe vai it (animate) is or gets soft from being in water or the rain

Paired with: nookaabaawe vii

nookaabaawe vii it is or gets soft from being in water or the rain

Paired with: nookaabaawe vai

(applicative) nookaabaawadoon vti2 soften it with water (applicative) nookaabaawazh vta soften h/ with water
nookaabikad vii it (mineral) is soft

Paired with: nookaabikizi vai

nookaabikiz vta soften h/ (mineral) with heat

Paired with: nookaabikizan vti

nookaabikizan vti soften it (mineral) with heat

Paired with: nookaabikiz vta

nookaabikizi vai s/he (mineral) is soft

Paired with: nookaabikad vii

nookaabiigad vii it (string-like) is soft

Paired with: nookaabiigizi vai

nookaabiigizi vai it (animate; string-like) is soft

Paired with: nookaabiigad vii

nookaadad vii it is mild

Paired with: nookaadizi vai

nookaadizi vai s/he has a good, easy life

Paired with: nookaadad vii

(derived noun) nookaadiziwin ni a good, easy life
nookaadiziwin ni a good, easy life

nookaagamin vii it (liquid) is mild

nookaagibidoon vti2 soften it by bending it (with the hands)

Paired with: nookaagibizh vta

nookaagibizh vta soften it (animate) by bending it (with the hands)

Paired with: nookaagibidoon vti2

nookaaginan vta soften it by bending it (by hand)

nookaagonagaa vii there is soft snow

nookaajiwanzan vti boil it tender

Paired with: nookaajiwanzwi vta [NI]

nookaajiwanzwi vta [NI] boil it (animate) tender

Paired with: nookaajiwanzan vti

nookaakide vii it softens by heat or flame

Paired with: nookaakizo vai

nookaakiz vta soften h/ by heat or flame

Paired with: nookaakizan vti

nookaakizan vti soften it by heat or flame

Paired with: nookaakiz vta

nookaakizo vai s/he softens by heat or flame

Paired with: nookaakide vii

nookaanikwe vai s/he has soft hair

nookibidoon vti2 soften it by working it (with the hands)

Paired with: nookibizh vta

(detransitive) nookibijige vai s/he softens things by working them with the hands
nookibijige vai s/he softens things by working them with the hands

nookibizh vta soften it (animate) by working it (with the hands)

Paired with: nookibidoon vti2

nookide vii it is cooked tender

Paired with: nookizo vai

nookijiishkaa vii it (something bag-like, belly-like) softens, gets soft

nookijiishkaa vai it (animate; something bag-like, belly-like) softens, gets soft

Paired with: nookijiishkaa vii

nookijiishkiwagad vii it is soft mud, is soft as mud

nookijiishkiwagaa vii there is soft mud

nookijiishkiwagizi vii it (animate) is soft as mud

nookijiiyaa vii it (something bag-like, belly-like) is soft

Paired with: nookijiizi vai

nookijiizi vai s/he is soft-bellied; it (animate; something bag-like, belly-like) is soft

Paired with: nookijiiyaa vii

nookiminagad vii it (something small and round; grain) is soft

nookiskawe vai it (animate; fish) has soft meat

nookishkan vti soften it with body weight or feet

Paired with: nookishkaw vta

(detransitive) nookishkige vai s/he softens things with body weight or feet

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.