manitou

[ man-i-too ]

noun,plural man·i·tous, (especially collectively) man·i·tou.
  1. (among the Algonquian people) a supernatural being that controls nature; a spirit, deity, or object that possesses supernatural power.

Origin of manitou

1
First recorded in 1605–15; from Unami Delaware monə́t·u, reinforced by or reborrowed from Ojibwe manidoo and other cognates (all from unrecorded Proto-Algonquian maneto·wa ); spelling influenced by equivalent French word
  • Also man·i·to [man-i-toh], /ˈmæn ɪˌtoʊ/, man·i·tu [man-i-too]. /ˈmæn ɪˌtu/.

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British Dictionary definitions for manitou

manitou

manitu manito (ˈmænɪˌtəʊ)

/ (ˈmænɪˌtuː) /


nounplural -tous, -tus, -tos, -tou, -tu or -to
  1. (among the Algonquian Indians) a deified spirit or force

Origin of manitou

1
C17: from Algonquian; related to Ojibwa manito spirit

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