Inuit

American  

[in-oo-it, -yoo-] / ˈɪn u ɪt, -ju- /

Or Innuit

noun

Inuits, plural Inuit plural

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.

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• Inuit
  plural
• Inuits
  plural

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

He wants Greenland to leave the Kingdom of Denmark and enter into a form of free-association agreement with the U.S. that protects it militarily and recognizes the rights of its Inuit people.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

To choose the name, the researchers worked with Jarloo Kiguktak, an Inuit Elder and former mayor of Grise Fiord, the northernmost Inuit community in Canada.

From Science Daily • Mar. 24, 2026

Most of the roughly 56,000 citizens are Greenlandic Inuit, though all residents are considered citizens of Denmark.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 22, 2026

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

From BBC • Feb. 6, 2026

Again using Inuit techniques, Kane and his remaining men hurried to gather moss and turf to insulate the rooms below deck.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock