wampum

English

Etymology

Clipped from wampumpeag (from (deprecated template usage) [etyl] Narragansett; compare the opposite clipping peag), which is a compound of wamp, wompi (“white”) + umpe (“string”) + -ag (plural suffix), and referred to the string of white shell-beads rather than the individual beads.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈwɒmpəm/

Noun

wampum (countable and uncountable, plural wampums or wampum)

1. Small beads made from polished shells, especially white ones, formerly used as money and jewelry by certain Native American peoples.
2. A string of such beads.
3. (slang) Money.

Synonyms

• (small shells, beads, &c.): seawan, peag; porcelain (such objects or strings of them)

Antonyms

• (white shells): suckanhock (black shells)

Derived terms

• wampum belt