Search the dictionary Advanced Search

How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

gaanjwebinan vti shove it (with hands)

Paired with: gaanjwebin vta

gaanjwebishkan vti shove it (with foot or body)

Paired with: gaanjwebishkaw vta

(detransitive) gaanjwebishkige vai s/he shoves things (with foot or body) (verb of undergoing) gaanjwebishkigaade vii it is shoved (with foot or body) (by someone), "they" shove it (with foot or body) (detransitive) gaanjwebishkigaazo vai s/he is shoved (with foot or body) (by someone)
gaanjwebishkaw vta shove h/ (with foot or body)

Paired with: gaanjwebishkan vti

gaanjwebishkigaade vii it is shoved (with foot or body) (by someone), "they" shove it (with foot or body)

gaanjwebishkigaazo vai s/he is shoved (with foot or body) (by someone)

gaanjwebishkige vai s/he shoves things (with foot or body)

gaanoo na a diamond suite card

gaanzikan vti push, nudge it (with foot or body)

Paired with: gaanzikaw vta

(detransitive) gaanzikige vai s/he pushes, nudges things (with foot or body) (verb of undergoing) gaanzikigaade vii it is pushed (with foot or body) (by someone), "they" push it (with foot or body)
gaanzikaw vta push, nudge h/ (with foot or body)

Paired with: gaanzikan vti

gaanzikigaade vii it is pushed (with foot or body) (by someone), "they" push it (with foot or body)

gaanzikigaazo vai s/he is pushed (with foot or body) (by someone), "they" push h/ (with foot or body)

gaanzikige vai s/he pushes, nudges things (with foot or body)

gaapam vta crunch h/ in mouth

Paired with: gaapandan vti

gaapan vii it is brittle

Paired with: gaapizi vai

gaapandan vti crunch it in mouth

Paired with: gaapam vta

(detransitive) gaapanjige vai s/he crunches things in mouth
gaapanjige vai s/he crunches things in mouth

gaapide vii it is cooked or roasted dry and crisp, is parched

Paired with: gaapizo vai

gaapizamaw vta parch (it) for h/

gaapizan vti cook or roast it dry and crisp, parch it (wild rice)

(benefactive) gaapizamaw vta parch (it) for h/ (verb of undergoing) gaapizigaade vii it is cooked or roasted dry and crisp, parched (by someone) (detransitive) gaapizige vai s/he cooks or roasts things dry and crisp, parches (wild rice)
(benefactive) gaapizigetamaw vta parch something for h/
(derived noun) gaapizigan ni popped wild rice
gaapizi vai s/he is brittle

Paired with: gaapan vii

gaapizigan ni popped wild rice

gaapiziganaabik ni [BL] a washtub used for roasting rice

gaapizigaade vii it is cooked or roasted dry and crisp, parched (by someone)

gaapizigaagen vai + o use (it) to roast something (until dry and crisp), use (it) to parch wild rice

gaapizige vai s/he cooks or roasts things dry and crisp, parches (wild rice)

gaapizigetamaw vta parch something for h/

gaapizigewabwiins ni [NI] a stirring paddle for wild rice parching

gaapizigewinaagan ni [NI] a wild rice parching tray

gaapizo vai it (animate) is cooked or roasted dry and crisp, is parched

Paired with: gaapide vii

gaapii ni [N] coffee

gaasiibii'amaw vta erase (it) for h/

gaasiibii'an vti erase it

(detransitive) gaasiibii'ige vai s/he erases things (derived noun) gaasiibii'igan na an eraser (verb of undergoing) gaasiibii'igaade vii it is erased (by someone), "they" erase it (benefactive) gaasiibii'amaw vta erase (it) for h/
gaasiibii'igan na an eraser

gaasiibii'igaade vii it is erased (by someone), "they" erase it

gaasiibii'ige vai s/he erases things

gaasiidoone'o vai s/he wipes h/ (own) mouth

gaasii' vta wipe h/ (using something)

Paired with: gaasii'an vti

gaasii'amaw vta wipe (it) for h/ (using something)

gaasii'an vti wipe it (using something)

Paired with: gaasii' vta

(benefactive) gaasii'amaw vta wipe (it) for h/ (using something) (detransitive) gaasii'ige vai s/he wipes things (using something) (verb of undergoing) gaasii'igaade vii it is wiped (by someone) (using something), "they" wipe it (using something) (verb of undergoing) gaasii'igaazo vai s/he is wiped (by someone) (using something) (derived noun) gaasii'igan ni an eraser
gaasii'igan ni an eraser

gaasii'igaade vii it is wiped (by someone) (using something), "they" wipe it (using something)

gaasii'igaazo vai s/he is wiped (by someone) (using something)

gaasii'ige vai s/he wipes things (using something)

gaasiinaagane vai s/he wipes dishes

gaasiininjii vai s/he wipes h/ (own) hands

gaasiiyaabikinan vti wipe it (mineral or metal) off (by the hand), erase it (mineral or metal) (by the hand)

gaaskamik na smoked beaver

gaaskanazo vai s/he whispers

(applicative) gaaskanazootaw vta whisper to h/
gaaskanazootaw vta whisper to h/

gaaskanaamo vai s/he wheezes

gaaskaabas vta smoke-cure it (animate)

Paired with: gaaskaabasan vti

gaaskaabasan vti smoke-cure it

gaaskaabasigan na smoke-cured animal or fish gaaskaabasigan ni smoke-cured meat
gaaskaabasigan na smoke-cured animal or fish

See also: gaaskaabasigan ni

gaaskaabasigan ni smoke-cured meat

See also: gaaskaabasigan na

gaaskaabasige vai s/he smoke-cures things

gaaskaabaso vai it (animate) is smoked, is smoke-cured

Paired with: gaaskaabate vii

gaaskaabaswi vta smoke-cure it (animate)

► gaaskaabas vta

gaaskaabate vii it is smoked, is smoke-cured

Paired with: gaaskaabaso vai

gaaskaaska' vta scrape h/ using something

Paired with: gaaskaaska'an vti

gaaskaaska'an vti scrape it using something

Paired with: gaaskaaska' vta

gaaski-giigoonh na smoked fish

gaaski-wiiyaas ni smoke-cured meat

gaaskibag ni a dried leaf

gaaskibagaasin vii leaves rustle in the wind

gaaskibagishin vai s/he rustles leaves while walking or falling

gaaskibagitoo vai s/he rustles leaves

gaaskibidoon vti2 make a rustling noise pulling on it

Paired with: gaaskibizh vta

gaaskibizh vta rustle h/ with hands

Paired with: gaaskibidoon vti2

gaaskide vii it dries out, shrivels

Paired with: gaaskizo vai

gaaskiz vta dry h/ by smoking

Paired with: gaaskizan vti

gaaskizan vti dry it by smoking

Paired with: gaaskiz vta

gaaskizige vai s/he smokes or dry (things) for preservation
gaaskizige vai s/he smokes or dry (things) for preservation

gaaskizo vai s/he dries out, shrivels

Paired with: gaaskide vii

gaaskizwi vta [NI]

► gaaskiz vta

gaashadeweyaa vii there is a hard sharp crust on the snow

gaashaabide vai [BL] s/he has a sharp tooth or sharp teeth

gaashaabikad vii it (mineral) is sharp

Paired with: gaashaabikizi vai

gaashaabikizi vai s/he is sharp [of mineral/metal]

Paired with: gaashaabikad vii

gaashaabiigad vii it (something string-like) is rough, is prickly

gaashaabiigaabikad vii it (something string-like and mineral) is sharp, is prickly

gaashaabiigaabikad vii it (something string-like and mineral) is sharp, is prickly

gaashaandagizi vai s/he (tree) has prickly needles

gaashiganzhii vai s/he has a sharp nail or claw, has sharp nails or claws

gaashikomaan ni a sharp knife

gaashiigad vii it (something sheet-like) is rough, is prickly

Paired with: gaashiigizi vai

gaashiigizi vai s/he (something sheet-like) is rough, is prickly

Paired with: gaashiigad vii

gaashka' vta scrape h/ off something using something

Paired with: gaashka'an vti

gaashka'an vti scrape it off something using something

gaashka'wi vta [BL] scrape h/ off something using something

► gaashka' vta

gaashkakamiga'igan ni a hoe

gaashkakokwe'igan ni a paddle for stirring boiling maple sap

gaashkaabika'akokwe vai s/he scrapes the pot to the bottom

gaashkaabikibidoon vti2 scrape it off something metal with hands

gaashkibaajigan ni a razor

gaashkibaazh vta shave, trim h/ (with a blade)

gaashkibaazo vai s/he shaves

gaashkibidoon vti2 scratch it with hands

Paired with: gaashkibizh vta

(detransitive) gashkibijige vai s/he wraps and ties things in bundle
gaashkibijige vai s/he scratches something with hands

gaashkibizh vta scratch h/ with hands

Paired with: gaashkibidoon vti2

gaashkisaga'an vti scrape it off the floor

The Ojibwe People's Dictionary is developed and maintained by:
Nora Livesay, Editor
John D. Nichols, Founder and Linguistic Editor

with support and collaboration from the University of Minnesota's Department of American Indian Studies and University Libraries.

Additional Resources

Many of the words in the Ojibwe People's Dictionary have related resources. Click through to the full dictionary entry to hear audio recordings, see images, read documents and watch videos. Here's a key to resource icons.

  • Audio recordings
  • Images
  • Video
  • Documents

Speakers & Regions Key

Individual speakers and speakers from different regions use different words when speaking. Each audio recording is marked with the initials of the Ojibwe speaker. Click on a speaker's initials to go to the speaker's bio page. If an Ojibwe word is particular to a certain region, it will be marked with a region code. Click on the region code to go to the Regions page.