tupilak

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See also: Tupilak

English[edit]

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carved representation of a monster

Alternative forms[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Greenlandic tupilak or Inuktitut ᑐᐱᓚᒃ (topilak), ᑐᐱᓚᖅ (topilaq).

Noun[edit]

tupilak (plural tupilaks or tupilat)

  1. (Inuit mythology) A monster (either invisible or having a physical form constructed from animal bones, sinew, etc) created in secret by a shaman and sent into the sea to seek and kill a specific enemy.
  2. A (small) representation of such a monster, often carved from whale bone.

See also[edit]


Danish[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from Greenlandic tupilak.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): [tˢupʰiˈlɑɡ̊], [tˢub̥iˈlɑɡ̊]

Noun[edit]

tupilak

  1. tupilak (statuette)
  2. tupilak (creature)

Declension[edit]

Declension of tupilak
common
gender 		Singular Plural
indefinite definite indefinite definite
nominative tupilak tupilakken tupilakker tupilakkerne
genitive tupilaks tupilakkens tupilakkers tupilakkernes

Greenlandic[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Proto-Inuit *tupǝ-ɣi- (“be surprised at, demon”), from Proto-Eskimo *tupǝ-kǝ- (“be surprised, excited”). Compare tupigaa (“is surprised by him/her or it”), and tupigusuppoq (“is surprised”).

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

tupilak (plural tupilaat)

  1. tupilak (statuette)
  2. tupilak (creature)

Declension[edit]

Declension of tupilak
singular plural
absolutive tupilak tupilaat
ergative tupilaap tupilaat
allative tupilammut tupilannut
ablative tupilammit tupilannit
prosecutive tupilakkut tupilatsigut
locative tupilammi tupilanni
instrumental tupilammik tupilannik
equative tupilattut tupilattut

Descendants[edit]

  • Danish: tupilak
  • English: tupilak (possibly)

References[edit]

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