manitou
See also: Manitou
English edit
Etymology edit
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)
- 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
A god or spirit as the object of religious awe or ritual among some American Indians
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)
Further reading edit
- “manitou”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.