seawan

American  

[see-wuhn] / ˈsi wən /

Or seawant,

noun

1. wampum.

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seawan British  

/ ˈsiːwən /

noun

1. shell beads, usually unstrung, used by certain North American Indians as money; wampum

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Etymology

Origin of seawan

First recorded in 1620–30, from New York Dutch sewan, zeewan, zeewant, etc., from Munsee Delaware *sé·wan “unstrung wampum,” literally, “that which is in a scattered state,” derivative of se·(w)- “scatter(ed)”

Example Sentences

They sold each salmon for one florin or two hands of seawan.

From Narratives of New Netherland, 1609-1664 by Jameson, J. Franklin (John Franklin)

We ate fresh salmon only two days caught, and we were robbed to-day of six and a half hands of seawan that we never saw again.

From Narratives of New Netherland, 1609-1664 by Jameson, J. Franklin (John Franklin)

They told us that the Frenchmen gave six hands of seawan for one beaver, and all sorts of things more.

From Narratives of New Netherland, 1609-1664 by Jameson, J. Franklin (John Franklin)

In the evening more than forty fathoms of seawan were divided among them as the last will of the savages that had died of the smallpox.

From Narratives of New Netherland, 1609-1664 by Jameson, J. Franklin (John Franklin)