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Glite Dictionary
sagamore

sagamore

1 9.9
A leader of a North American tribe, especially among Algonquian peoples
  • noun
  • /ˈsæɡəˌmɔr/
  • Archaic
translation icon : sagamore
  • Traditionally, each sagamore was respected as both a leader and a mediator in tribal conflicts.

Examples

  • The tribe's sagamore led the council meeting to discuss important decisions.

  • Villages, respectively bands, each had a sagamore, or headman, and each region a captain, with ceremonial (religious) or wartime authority.

    Academic text (2002)

  • Already in 1610, the Catholic faith had arrived from the south to the Micmac, when the legendary Sagamore Membertou had himself and his followers baptized by Father J. Flch in Port Royal Lescarbot 1967:76.

    Academic text (2002)

  • The sagamore made a crucial call to unite the different clans against external threats.

Synonyms

sachem
vssagamore
  • US
1 9.9

A leader of some Native American tribes, especially the Algonquian people

is the same meaning but a different historical term
Indian chieftain
vssagamore
8.9

A leader of a Native American tribe who guides the people

is specific to Algonquian leaders rather than all tribes

Surface Forms

sagamore singular
sagamores plural

Etymology

Sagamore comes from a Native American Algonquian word that meant 'chief' or 'leader', and is like the English word sachem, so a sagamore was the head who led a tribe.