manitou

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search
See also: Manitou

English

[edit]

Etymology

[edit]
English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

From Pidgin Delaware Manétto, from Unami manëtu (/manətːu/) and Munsee manutoow (manə́to꞉w) (later influenced by French manitou, from Cree/Montagnais manito꞉w); from Proto-Algonquian *maneto·wa (supernatural being).

Pronunciation

[edit]

Noun

[edit]

manitou (plural manitous)

  1. A god or spirit as the object of religious awe or ritual among some American Indians.
    • 1819, Washington Irving, The Sketch Book, Rip Van Winkle:
      The favourite abode of this Manitou is still shown. It is a great rock or cliff on the loneliest part of the mountains, and, … is known by the name of the Garden Rock.
    • 1826, James Fenimore Cooper, The Last of the Mohicans, published 1888, page 319:
      If it were possible to translate the comprehensive and melodious language in which he spoke, the ode might read something like the following: "Manitou! Manitou! Manitou! Thou art great, thou art good, thou art wise: Manitou! Manitou! Thou art just."
    • 1987, John A Grim, The Shaman, page 143:
      Each Ojibway shaman's method of communication with the manitou patron is unique and is related to a personal dream experience.
    • 2005, Joseph Boyden, Three Day Road, Penguin, published 2008, page 43:
      My father strung it high in a tree for the manitous to watch over.

Usage notes

[edit]

Sometimes used as a proper noun, in which case it is often capitalized.

Translations

[edit]

References

[edit]
  • Oxford English Dictionary, Third (online) Edition

Anagrams

[edit]

French

[edit]

Etymology

[edit]

From Cree/Montagnais manito꞉w, Ojibwe manidoo, from Proto-Algonquian *maneto·wa (supernatural being).

Pronunciation

[edit]

Noun

[edit]

manitou m (plural manitous)

  1. manitou

Further reading

[edit]

Anagrams

[edit]