Nootka

noun

Noot·​ka ˈnu̇t-kə How to pronounce Nootka (audio)
1
plural Nootka or Nootkas : a member of a First Nation people inhabiting the west coast of Vancouver Island : nuu-chah-nulth sense 1

Note: While the name Nootka (which was imposed by outsiders) is used by some members, others prefer Nuu-chah-nulth.

2
: the Wakashan language of the Nootka people : nuu-chah-nulth sense 2

Examples of Nootka in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
After a session, guests will certainly enjoy fresh seafood, which is always on the menu at Nootka. Noah Lederman, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2024 Geologists like Dominique Weis at University of British Columbia put the boundary at the Nootka Fault. Erik Klemetti, Discover Magazine, 2 May 2024 The situation is similar for the 187 Indian languages surviving in North America outside Alaska, such as Chickasaw, Navajo, and Nootka. Jared Diamond, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019

Word History

Etymology

Nootka Sound, Vancouver Island

First Known Use

circa 1789, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of Nootka was circa 1789

Dictionary Entries Near Nootka

Cite this Entry

“Nootka.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Nootka. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.

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