Search the dictionary Advanced Search

How to use the Ojibwe People's Dictionary

wiisagigonewe vai s/he has a sore throat, h/ throat hurts

wiisagijiibikoons ni a radish

wiisagimaagozi vai s/he smells bitter, smells spicy

Paired with: wiisagimaagwad vii

wiisagimaagwad vii it smells bitter, smells spicy

Paired with: wiisagimaagozi vai

wiisagimaaso vai s/he has a bitter aroma, smells bitter burning or cooking

Paired with: wiisagimaate vii

wiisagimaate vii it has a bitter aroma, smells bitter (burning or cooking)

Paired with: wiisagimaaso vai

wiisagindibeshin vai s/he hurts h/ head falling or hitting against something

wiisagine vai s/he hurts, is in pain from an illness

wiisaginikeshin vai s/he hurts h/ arm or arms on something or by falling

wiisagininjii vai h/ hand hurts or hands hurt

wiisagininjiishin vai s/he hurts h/ hand or hands on something or by falling

wiisagip vta find h/ tastes biiter, tastes spicy

Paired with: wiisagipidan vti

wiisagipidan vti find it tastes bitter, tastes spicy

See also: wiisagip vta

wiisagipogozi vai s/he tastes bitter, tastes spicy

Paired with: wiisagipogwad vii

wiisagipogwad vii it tastes bitter, tastes spicy

Paired with: wiisagipogozi vai

wiisagishin vai s/he gets hurt (on something), gets hurt falling

wiisagishkaw vta hurt h/ (by bumping or kicking)

(reciprocal) wiisagishkodaadiwag vai they hurt each other (by bumping)
wiisagishkodaadiwag vai they hurt each other (by bumping)

wiisagishkoozh vta hurt h/ by crushing with weight

wiisagishkoozo vai s/he hurts from crushing weight

wiisagishtigwaaneshin vai [S] s/he hurts h/ head falling or hitting against something

See also: wiisagitigwaaneshin vai [BL]

wiisagitaagozi vai s/he is shrill, screeches, squeals

wiisagitigwaaneshin vai [BL] s/he hurts h/ head falling or hitting against something

See also: wiisagishtigwaaneshin vai [S]

wiisagizi vai s/he is bitter (to the taste)

Paired with: wiisagan vii

wiisagizideshin vai s/he hurts h/ foot or feet on something or by falling

wiisakwe vai s/he has a high, shrill voice

wiisaakodewikwe na a Metis woman; a Native woman of mixed ancestry

See also: wiisaakodewinini na

wiisaakodewinini na a Metis (especially male); a Native person of mixed ancestry

See also: wiisaakodewikwe na

wiisini vai s/he eats

(derived noun) wiisiniwin ni food
wiisiniwin ni food

wiisiniwin-adaawewigamig ni a grocery store

See also: wiisinii-adaawewigamig ni

wiisinii-adaawewigamig ni a grocery store

See also: wiisiniwin-adaawewigamig ni

wiisiniiwi-mitigoons ni a chopstick

wiisiniiwigamig ni a restaurant, a cafe; a dining room

wiisiniiwikomaan ni a table knife

wiisookaw vta associate with, be frequently with, be friendly with h/

(reciprocal) wiisookodaadiwag vai they associate with each other, are with each other frequently, are friendly with each other
wiisookodaadiwag vai they associate with each other, are with each other frequently, are friendly with each other

wiish ni [BL] lodge of an animal

wiishaagomaagozi vai s/he has body odor

Paired with: wiishaagomaagwad vii

wiishaagomaagwad vii it smells of body odor

Paired with: wiishaagomaagozi vai

wiishkoban vii it is sweet

Paired with: wiishkobizi vai

wiishkobanjige vai s/he eats sweets

(verb of addiction) wiishkobanjigeshki vai s/he has a sweet tooth
wiishkobanjigeshki vai s/he has a sweet tooth

wiishkobaaboo ni maple sap

wiishkobaagamin vii it (a liquid) is sweet

wiishkobi- pv lex sweet

wiishkobi-bakwezhigan na a pastry, a cake, a sweet roll

wiishkobi-jiis ni a sugar beet

wiishkobi-mitigomizh na white oak

[
Quercus alba
]

wiishkobimaagozi vai s/he smells sweet

Paired with: wiishkobimaagwad vii

wiishkobimaagwad vii it smells sweet

Paired with: wiishkobimaagozi vai

wiishkobipidan vti find it tastes sweet

wiishkobipogozi vai s/he tastes sweet

Paired with: wiishkobipogwad vii

wiishkobipogwad vii it tastes sweet

Paired with: wiishkobipogozi vai

wiishkobitoon vti2 sweeten it

wiishkobizi vai s/he is sweet

Paired with: wiishkoban vii

wiitaan nad his brother-in-law (a man's brother-in-law)

See also: owiitaan nad

wiiwakwaan ni a cap, a hat

wiiwan nad his wife

wiiwegin vta wrap h/

Paired with: wiiweginan vti

wiiweginamaw vta wrap (it) for h/

wiiweginan vti wrap it (as or as with something sheet-like)

Paired with: wiiwegin vta

(detransitive) wiiweginige vai s/he wraps (things) (benefactive) wiiweginamaw vta wrap (it) for h/ (verb of undergoing) wiiweginigaade vii it is wrapped (by someone), "they" wrap it (verb of undergoing) wiiweginigaazo vai s/he is wrapped (by someone), "they" wrap h/ (derived noun) wiiweginigan ni a wrapped package or pack
wiiweginigan ni a wrapped package or pack

wiiweginigaade vii it is wrapped (by someone), "they" wrap it

wiiweginigaazo vai s/he is wrapped (by someone), "they" wrap h/

wiiweginige vai s/he wraps (things)

wiiwi vai he has a wife

wiiwish na peewee

wiiyagasenh ni dust, dirt

wiiyagi' vta do something regrettable to h/; spoil, waste h/

Paired with: wiiyagitoon vti2

wiiyagitoon vti2 do something regrettable to it; waste, spoil it

Paired with: wiiyagi' vta

wiiyaw nid h/ body

wiiyawen'enyan nad h/ namesake

wiiyaakwa'an vti bait it with lure, put scent on it

(detransitive) wiiyaakwa'ige vai s/he baits with lure to attract furbearers wiiyaakwa'igan ni [BL] lure: an animal scent used in trapping
wiiyaakwa'igan ni [BL] lure: an animal scent used in trapping

wiiyaakwa'ige vai s/he baits with lure to attract furbearers

wiiyaas ni meat; flesh; a piece of meat

wiiyaas-adaawewigamig ni a butcher shop, a meat market

wiiyaasaaboo ni broth

wiiyaasi-dakoniwewinini na a game warden, a conservation officer

wiiyaasi-giishkiboojigan ni a meat saw

See also: wiiyaasiwi-giishkiboojigan ni [BL]

wiiyaasi-naboob ni stew

wiiyaasiwi-biitoonigan ni [BL] a sandwich with a meat filling, a hamburger

wiiyaasiwi-giishkiboojigan ni [BL] a meat saw

See also: wiiyaasi-giishkiboojigan ni

wiiyiigide vii it (something sheet-like) smells burnt

wiizhaam vta invite h/ (to join an activity), ask h/ along

(detransitive) wiizhaange vai s/he invites people (to join an activity), asks people along (reciprocal) wiizhaandiwag vai they invite each other
wiizhaandiwag vai they invite each other

wiizhaange vai s/he invites people (to join an activity), asks people along

wiizingwaam vta sleep over at h/ place, stay overnight with h/

woo-oo pc interj [call to dog or dog team to stop]

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.