mackinaw

English

Etymology

Representing an earlier colloquial pronunciation of Mackinac, a strait between Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, an island in the strait, and an important trading-post on the island; ultimately from Ojibwe mishinii-makinaang (“at the place of many snapping turtles”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈmakɪnɔː/
• (US) IPA: /ˈmækənɔ/

Noun

mackinaw (plural mackinaws)

1. A heavy, woolen cloth.
2. A blanket made of wool formerly distributed to the Amerindians by the U.S. government.
3. A cargo boat, with a large flat bottom and sharp ends, formerly used on the Great Lakes and the Missouri River (to a lesser extent, elsewhere).
4. A schooner-rigged boat once used on the Great Lakes.

See also

• mackinaw skiff
• mackinaw boat
• mackinaw jacket
• mackinaw coat
• mackinaw shirt
• mackinaw trout

References

• Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary: Tenth Edition (1997)