Search the dictionary Advanced Search

How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

waakaagaabawiwag vai they stand in a circle

waakaagwaadan vti sew all around it; sew a cuff on it

(derived noun) waakaagwaajigan ni a moccasin cuff
waakaagwaajigan ni a moccasin cuff

waakaa'igan ni a house, a building

waakaa'iganens ni [BL] a cabin, a small house

waakaa'ige vai s/he builds (a house or other building)

waakaa'igewinini na a builder

waakaayaagibidoon vti2 bend it around something (with the hands)

(derived noun) waakaayaagibijigan ni a basket rim
waakaayaagibijigan ni a basket rim

waakaayaakobidoon vti2 fence it, fence it in

(detransitive) waakaayaakobijige vai s/he fences something in
waakaayaakobijige vai s/he fences something in

waakowazh na a whipporwill

waakoons na a fish egg, roe

waakoonsiwi-bakwezhigan na fish-egg bread

waakwaandesiing adv loc inside at the rear of the lodge (across from the doorway)

waanadaawangaa vii there is a depression or dip in the sand

waanadizi vai s/he is rich, has a lot of things

waanaji' vta have a lot of it (animate); be rich in it (animate)

Paired with: waanajitoon vti

waanajitoon vti have a lot of it; be rich in it

Paired with: waanaji' vta

waanakamigaa vii there is a depression or hollow in the ground

waanashkobiisin

waanaamikaa vii there is a depression in the bottom (of a body of water), a drop-off

waanda- pv lex really; just so; completely

waangawi' vta tame it (animate), train it (animate)

(detransitive) waangawi'iwe vai s/he tames people or animals
waangawi'iwe vai s/he tames people or animals

waangawizi vai [S] it (animate) is gentle, is tame

See also: aangawizi vai [RL]

waangoom vta adopt h/

waanikaadan vti dig a hole for it

Paired with: waanikaazh vta

waanikaan ni a pit, an excavated hole

waanikaazh vta dig a hole for h/

Paired with: waanikaadan vti

waanike vai s/he digs a hole or trench

(applicative) waanikaadan vti dig a hole for it (applicative) waanikaazh vta dig a hole for h/
waaninitigweyaa vii the river has a bend in it

waanisagaa vii there is a dip in the floor

waanisagizi vai it (animate; board) has a depression in it

waanizigoweba'an vti

waanzh ni a den, a lair, a cave, a burrow, a tunnel entrance to a beaver lodge

See also: waazh ni

waanzhibiiyaa vii it is a puddle, a water-filled pothole, a small pond

waapijiibizh vta wrap h/ up in a bunting bag

waapijiibizo vai s/he is laced up in the cradleboard bag

(derived noun) waapijiibizon ni a cradleboard bag; a bunting bag
waapijiibizon ni a bunting bag; a cradleboard bag

waapijiibizoneyaab ni cradleboard wrapper lacing; bunting bag lacing

waapijiibizoniigin ni [BG] [BL] cloth for a bunting bag

waasa adv loc far, far away, distant

waasagoode vii it hangs shining

Paired with: waasagoojin vai

waasagoojin vai it (animate) hangs shining

Paired with: waasagoode vii

waasakonebizo vai s/he drives with a light on

waasakonejiisi na

waasamowin ni lightning; electricity

waasamoo- pv lex electric; powered

waasamoo-anokiiwinini na electrician

waasamoo-bimide ni gas, gasoline

waasamoo-jiimaan ni a motor launch

waasamoo-jiimaanens ni motorboat

waasamoo-waazakonenjigan ni an electric lamp

waasamoobii'amaw vta email h/

waasamoobii'igan ni an email

waasamoog vai2 they flash lightning

waasamoowidaabaan na a car, an automobile

See also: waasamoowidaabaan ni

waasamoowidaabaan ni a car, an automobile

See also: waasamoowidaabaan na

waasawad vii it is far

waasaabikaa vii

waasaabikide vii it (mineral) shines, glitters, reflects light

Paired with: waasaabikizo vai

waasaabikizo vai it (animate; mineral) shines, glitters, reflects light

Paired with: waasaabikide vii

waasaabizo vai h/ eyes shine (reflecting light)

waasaadigose vii water glistens as it swirls or bubbles (as in the rapids)

waasaakwa'wi vta blaze it (animate: a tree) to mark a trail

waasaakwanjige vai s/he chews bark off a tree leaving light bare patches

waasaashkaa vii it (lake) has whitecaps

waasebiite vii

waasechigan ni a window, glass (in or for a window)

waasechiganaabik ni window glass, a windowpane

waasechigani-asabaabik ni window screen

waasekwad vii the sky gets bright, clears up

waasenaagwad vii it looks light, looks clear

waasenaagwad vii it is daybreak

waasese vii there is a flash of lightning

waasete vii it is or gets bright inside

waaseyaa vii it is bright, is light (as in the day), is radiant; it is sunny

Paired with: waasezi vai

waaseyaaban vii it is light at dawn

waaseyaagonagaa vii there is bright snow (on the ground)

waaseyaanakwad vii clouds can be seen through

waaseyiigad vii it (sheet-like) is bright, is shiny

Paired with: waaseyiigizi vai

waaseyiigizi vai it (animate; sheet-like) is bright, is shiny

Paired with: waaseyiigad vii

waasezi vai the sun shines, is bright, is light, is radiant

Paired with: waaseyaa vii

waaside vii it shines, glitters, reflects light

Paired with: waasizo vai

waasigan ni [BL] lightning; electricity

waasigani-bimide ni [BL] gas, gasoline

waasigani-bimide-atoobaan ni a gas tank

See also: waasigani-bimidewatoobaan ni [BL]

waasigani-bimide-biiwaabik ni [BL] an oil drum; a gas tank, a gas can, a jerry can

waasigani-bimide-gizhaabikizigan ni [BL] a propane stove

waasigani-bimidewatoobaan ni [BL] a gas can

See also: waasigani-bimide-atoobaan ni

waasigani-bimidewigamig ni [BL] a gas station

waasigani-bimideyaab ni [BL] gas line

waasigani-biiwaabik ni an electric cable

waasigani-gizhaabikiziganens ni [BL] a coleman stove

waasigani-giishkiboojigan ni [NI] a power saw, a chain saw

waasigani-makakoons ni [BL] an automobile battery; a boat battery

waasigani-waazakonenjigan ni an electric light

waasiganidaabaanikana ni [BL] a road (for vehicles)

waasiko- pv lex shiny

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.