Inuit

American  

[in-oo-it, -yoo-] / ˈɪn u ɪt, -yu- /

Or Innuit

noun

plural

Inuits,

plural

Inuit

1. a member of a group of Indigenous peoples inhabiting northernmost North America from northern Alaska to eastern Canada and Greenland.

2. the language of the Inuit, a member of the Eskimo-Aleut family comprising a variety of dialects.

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Inuit British  

/ ˈɪnjuːɪt /

noun

1. any of several Native peoples of N America or Greenland, as distinguished from those from Asia or the Aleutian Islands (who are still generally referred to as Eskimos); the preferred term for Eskimo in N America Compare Yupik

2. the language of these peoples; Inuktitut

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Sensitive Note

See Eskimo, Indian.

Etymology

Origin of Inuit

First recorded in 1755–65; from Inuit: literally, “people,” plural of inuk “person”

Compare meaning

How does inuit compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Eskimo vs. Inuit

Example Sentences

Though Elisha had no way of knowing, another explorer learned from a group of the Arctic’s Inuit people that Sir Franklin had died years back.

From Literature

The notion of private property is alien to Inuit culture, characterised by communal sharing and a deep connection to the land.

From Barron's

Inuit in Canada also share a strong bond with Greenlandic Inuit – a bond underscored by Governor General Simon's own Inuk roots.

From BBC

The Arctic territory's Inuit culture also helped, said Kleist.

From Barron's

Greenland, with its 90% Inuit population, is acutely aware of this history.

From The Wall Street Journal