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Amerind

Amerind

1 8.9
A person from the native peoples of the Americas or a language they speak
  • noun
  • /ˈæməˌrɪnd/
  • Archaic
: amerindio
  • Sumerians, Chinese, Berbers, Amerinds—armed with little more than sheep, fire, and primitive agriculture.

Examples

  • Linguists study the diverse languages spoken by Amerinds to understand their cultural heritage.

  • The museum contains a section dedicated to the history of Amerinds and their contributions to agriculture.

  • As a child, she learned about the traditions of the Amerinds through stories passed down by her grandparents.

Synonyms

Hopi
vsAmerind
7 7.6

A member of the Native American people in northeastern Arizona or the language they speak

is the wider term covering all indigenous peoples and their languages
Indian language
vsAmerind
  • Archaic
2 5.8

A language spoken by the native people of North, Central, or South America

also denotes the people themselves rather than only the languages
Amerindian
vsAmerind
1 7.3

A person whose family comes from the native peoples of North or South America

includes both members and the languages they use rather than the person alone
South American Indian
vsAmerind
  • Archaic
1 5.1

A person from the native peoples of South America before European arrival

is the wider term covering other indigenous peoples and their languages
Iroquois
vsAmerind
  • Specialized
1 8.8

A group of Native American languages spoken by people in New York and Canada

includes other languages and peoples beyond this single family
Seri
vsAmerind
1 9.9

A native people of northwestern Mexico and the language they speak

is the general label that covers all indigenous peoples and their languages
Mixtec
vsAmerind
1 9.9

A member of a native people of southern Mexico or their language

is a general label for all such peoples and the languages they speak
Yuchi
vsAmerind
1 9.9

A group of Native American people in the southeast of the United States or their language

is the general term for all indigenous peoples and the languages they speak
Uto-Aztecan
vsAmerind
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A family of Native American languages spoken in the western United States and Mexico, including Nahuatl

covers any indigenous language or person not only this single family
1 7.9

A language of the native peoples of the Americas

also applies to the peoples as well as their languages
Otomi
vsAmerind
1 9.9

A person from a native group in central Mexico or their language

is the general term for all indigenous peoples and their languages
Totonac
vsAmerind
1 9.9

A person from a native group in eastern Mexico or their language

is the broader label covering many peoples and their languages across the Americas
Amerind language
vsAmerind
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A language spoken by the native people of the Americas

is the general label that also covers people and not only classifications
9.9

A language spoken by the native peoples of the Americas

is the broader label that also covers the peoples themselves
9.7

A language first spoken by the native people of the Americas before Europeans arrived

also refers to the people not only to their languages
Athapascan
vsAmerind
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of related Native American languages that people speak in Alaska, western Canada, and the US southwest

is the general term for all these languages and their peoples
Arecuna
vsAmerind
9.9

A group of native people in northern South America and their language

is broader covering many such peoples and languages across the Americas
Tarascan
vsAmerind
9.9

A person from a native group in western Mexico or the language they speak

is the broader term for indigenous peoples and their languages across the Americas
Zoque
vsAmerind
9.9

A person from a native group in southern Mexico or their language

is the general term for all indigenous peoples and the languages they use

Compounds

Amerind language
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A language spoken by the native people of the Americas

Paleo-Amerind culture
  • Specialized
9.9

The way of life of the earliest people who lived in North and South America

Surface Forms

Amerind singular
Amerinds plural

Morphology

Amerind = American + Indian (semi-transparent) = Amer + ind

The word is a clipped blend of 'American' and 'Indian', so the source components are partly recoverable but the specialized ethnographic meaning is not fully predictable.

Etymology

Amerind is a short blend of the parts Amer- and -ind, coming from the words 'American' and 'Indian'. A helpful way to remember it is that it names the native peoples of the Americas and the languages they speak.