manitou

Also man·i·to

[man-i-too]

noun

plural

manitous ,

plural

manitou .

1. (among the Algonquian people) a supernatural being that controls nature; a spirit, deity, or object that possesses supernatural power.

manitou

/ ˈmænɪˌtəʊ, ˈmænɪˌtuː /

noun

1. (among the Algonquian Indians) a deified spirit or force

Word History and Origins

Origin of manitou¹

First recorded in 1605–15; from Unami Delaware monə́t·u, reinforced by or reborrowed from Ojibwe manidoo and other cognates (all from unrecorded Proto-Algonquian maneto·wa ); spelling influenced by equivalent French word

Word History and Origins

Origin of manitou¹

C17: from Algonquian; related to Ojibwa manito spirit

Example Sentences

The Cross-Island Trail connects land parcels from the island’s western-facing Battle Point to tiny, east-looking Manitou Beach.

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In “Manitou,” orchestral and electronic blurs envelop the voice of Daniel Monkman, who leads the Canadian band Zoon.

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“Manitou” is about memories and mortality: “One foot in the dirt, and one foot in the grave,” he reflects.

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In 2014, the trio released “Manitou,” its debut album, incorporating spinning songs in a multitonal feast.

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That morning, I’d completed the Manitou Incline, a humbler of a hike that gains more than 2,000 feet of elevation in less than a mile, and just moments before, I’d finished an hour-long deep-tissue massage that unraveled years-old knots and left me feeling relaxed.

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