Athabasca

English

Alternative forms

• Athabaska

Etymology

From Woods Cree [Term?]/Cree Athap-askaw. Compare to Plains Cree ᐋᓂᐢᑯᐘᐢᑯᐢᑳᐤ (“there are many reeds”) or Cree ᐋᓂᐢᑯᐘᐢᑳᐤ (aaniskowaskaaw, “it is full of reeds”), from ᐋᓂᐢᑯᐘᐢᑿ (aaniskowaskwa, “reeds, bullrushes”). Doublet of Arthabaska, Quebec, from Abenaki awabaska (“place of bushes and reeds”).

The Cree name originally applied to the lake, and the river delta (the world's largest inland freshwater delta) and was borrowed into French and English by fur traders. The river was named by extension, and the town's name is clipping of "Athabasca Landing". The Cree name for the town is ᑲᐹᐏᓂᕁ (kapaawinihk, “portage, landing, disembarkation”).

Proper noun

Athabasca

1. A lake in Alberta, Canada.
2. A river in Alberta, Canada, which flows into Lake Athabasca
3. A town in Alberta, Canada, on the Athabasca River. Formerly "Athabasca Landing"

Synonyms

• (lake): Lake Athabasca / Lake Athabaska
• (river): Athabasca River / Athabaska River
• (town): Athabasca Landing / Athabaska Landing

Derived terms

• Athabasca County

Descendants

• Translingual: athabascae