Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
Athabaskan [ath-uh-bas-kuh n] ExamplesWord Origin noun
- a family of languages spoken by American Indians in most of inland northwest Canada and Alaska, in coastal Oregon and California, and in Arizona and the Rio Grande basin, and including especially Navajo, Apache, and Chipewyan.Compare family(def 14).
- a member of any of various American Indian peoples speaking Athabaskan.
adjective
- belonging to or characteristic of the Athabaskans.
Also Ath·a·bas·can, Athapaskan, Athapascan. Origin of Athabaskan 1770–80; earlier Athapasca(s), introduced as a term for the Canadian Athabaskans (Woods Cree ahδapaska·w Lake Athabaska, literally, there are reeds here and there *aʔlap(y)- net, reticulated + *-ašk- plant + derivational elements) + -an Examples from the Web for athabascan Historical Examples of athabascan
It was not until 1903 that Goddard showed their Athabascan affinity (Goddard, 1903b).
Martin A. Baumhoff
If Athabascan, the stretch in question belonged to the Nongatl (Saia).
Martin A. Baumhoff
This section of the Athabascan boundary has been much disputed.
Martin A. Baumhoff
The Hupa are the best known of the California Athabascan groups.
Martin A. Baumhoff
And the Kolooch languages are equally Eskimo with the Athabascan.
Robert Gordon Latham
Word Origin and History for athabascan Athabascan
1846, Athapaskan, from the name of the North American Indian people, from Lake Athabaska in northern Alberta, Canada, from Woods Cree (Algonquian) Athapaskaw, said by Webster to mean literally “grass or reeds here and there,” referring to the delta region west of the lake. Also in reference to their language group.