CHamoru

American  

[chuh-mawr-oh, chah-mawr-raw] / tʃəˈmɔr oʊ, tʃɑˈmɔr rɔ /

noun

• CHamorus,
  plural
• CHamoru
  plural

1. a people inhabiting the Mariana Islands, or people of CHamoru origin or descent.

2. the Austronesian language of the CHamoru.

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Spelling

The first two letters are both capitalized in the official spelling of CHamoru to indicate that they make a single sound. Several other languages have such digraphs marked by spelling conventions, such as the ligature œ in French or æ in Old English.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• CHamoru
  plural
• CHamorus
  plural

Etymology

Origin of CHamoru

First recorded in 1990–95; a native name based on the indigenous orthography of the Spanish Chamorro ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

CHamoru

Though some CHamoru tried to fight the Japanese, the overwhelming narrative holds that American soldiers were the saviors of Guam.

From New York Times ● Jul. 7, 2023

He would thrash a course into the thicket to collect firewood from the slender trees — tangen tangen in CHamoru, the language of the Indigenous inhabitants of Guam, which Roy’s grandmothers and grandfathers were.

From New York Times ● Jul. 7, 2023

Over centuries of migration, the CHamoru have become a minority on the island.

From New York Times ● Jul. 7, 2023

It is named after the first CHamoru general, Vicente T. Blaz, known as Ben, who went on to become Guam’s Republican representative to the House from 1985 to 1993.

From New York Times ● Jul. 7, 2023

Nearly 11,000 CHamoru — half the population at that time — lost their property.

From New York Times ● Jul. 7, 2023