Nivkh

[ neefk, neefkh ]

noun

, plural Nivkhs, Niv·khi [neef, -kee, -kh, ee], (especially collectively) Nivkh

1. an Indigenous people of southeastern Siberia, now living mainly in scattered communities on the lower Amur River and Sakhalin Island.
2. the Paleosiberian language of the Nivkh.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Nivkh¹

First recorded in 1960–65; from Russian, from Nivkh (Amur dialect) ńivx a self-designation