mashkosiw

Ojibwe

Etymology

Cognate with Mohegan-Pequot maskihcuwash (“grass”), Plains Cree maskosiy, Unami skikw, Munsee míixaskw, Potawatomi mishkos, Malecite-Passamaquoddy pskihq, Malecite-Passamaquoddy msigu, Penobscot mskìhko, Abenaki mskiko.

Noun

mashkosiw inan (plural mashkosiwan, diminutive mashkosiins, locative mashkosiing, locative distributive mashkosiikaang)

1. grass, hay

   Madweyaakide iwe gichi-mashkosiw zekideg.

   You can hear the hay field crackling as it burns.

2. a blade of grass

Usage notes

In Ojibwe, when referring to a quantity of grass or hay, the plural can be used: mashkosiwan.

Related terms

• -ashkosiw-

References

• https://ojibwe.lib.umn.edu/main-entry/mashkosiw-ni