Kiowa
Americannoun
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Kiowas,
plural
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Kiowa
plural
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a member of an Indigenous Great Plains tribe, now living primarily in Oklahoma.
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the language of the Kiowa, closely related to Tanoan.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of Kiowa
First recorded in 1800–10; from Kiowa kɔjgwu “principal people”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
A priest, noticing Pratt’s skillful doodling, bought him art supplies and showed him a collection of work by the Kiowa Five, a renowned group of early 20th-century painters who’d attended the school.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 29, 2026
M. Scott Momaday, in his essay “The Way to Rainy Mountain,” describes his Kiowa grandmother, who “bore an image of deicide.”
From Salon ● Sep. 1, 2024
She has created portraits of her family under a Madonna-and-Child-inspired arch, given stereotypical Native imagery the Roy Lichtenstein treatment and shared Kiowa traditions on shoes.
From New York Times ● Jun. 6, 2024
In the parking lot were cars with tribal license plates from Cherokee, Chickasaw, Comanche, Kiowa and Otoe-Missouria tribes.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 20, 2022
Mitchell Sanders finally nodded and said, “Let’s get it done,” and they took hold of the legs and pulled up hard, then pulled again, and after a moment Kiowa came sliding to the surface.
From "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien
"Nope. I showed up a bit late, but neither Scan Eagle nor the Kiowas could actually see the enemy."
From Salon ● May 25, 2020
Smaller groups in the Indian Territory took similar steps, as did several bands of Comanches and Kiowas farther west.
From Textbooks ● Jan. 18, 2018
Johanna, who was captured by the Kiowas as a very young girl, has been living with them for so long she can remember only fragments of her former life.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 29, 2016
The loser is exiled, precipitating a short war between the Kiowas and Comanches before the requisite happy ending.
From New York Times ● Jul. 15, 2016
Kiowas, 49, 65, 307, 309, 323 et seq.,
From Pawnee Hero Stories and Folk-Tales With notes on the origin, customs and character of the Pawnee people by George Bird Grinnell
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
