Cherokee

noun

Cher·​o·​kee ˈcher-ə-(ˌ)kē How to pronounce Cherokee (audio)
ˈche-rə-
1
plural Cherokee or Cherokees : a member of a nation of once-nomadic Indigenous peoples located originally in the Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina
2
: the Iroquoian language of the Cherokee people

Examples of Cherokee in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Hancock, Harrison and Jackson, which includes the cities of Diamondhead, Gautier, Gulfport, Moss Point, Ocean Springs, Pascagoula, St. Martin and Waveland. North Carolina A tornado watch was issued for Cherokee County that remains in effect until 1:00 a.m. ET. Mark Davis, Newsweek, 16 Mar. 2025 The latest: At a hearing Monday, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Ural Glanville said prosecutors could use Long's statements from the Cherokee case. Thomas Wheatley, Axios, 14 Mar. 2025 Read one woman's journey to solve the housing crisis with her Cherokee heritage. Nicole Fallert, USA TODAY, 11 Mar. 2025 La Jolla plays again at home against Cherokee Trail of Colorado at 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, March 19. Ben Ali H Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for Cherokee

Word History

Etymology

probably ultimately from Creek calá·kki

First Known Use

1721, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Cherokee was in 1721

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Cite this Entry

“Cherokee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Cherokee. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

Cherokee

noun
Cher·​o·​kee ˈcher-ə-ˌkē How to pronounce Cherokee (audio)
: a member of an Indigenous people originally from Tennessee and North Carolina
also : their language

More from Merriam-Webster on Cherokee

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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