orenda
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of orenda
1902; coined by U.S. ethnologist J.N.B. Hewitt from the supposed Huron cognate of Mohawk orę́˙naʔ inherent power (akin to karę́˙naʔ song; compare Seneca oęnǫʔ power, song with power, kaęnǫʔ song)
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.
The orenda of the rabbit controls the snow and fixes the depth to which it will fall.
From Darwin and Modern Science by A. C. (Albert Charles) Seward
A man who hunts well has much and good orenda; the shy bird who escapes his snares has a fine orenda.
From Darwin and Modern Science by A. C. (Albert Charles) Seward
This orenda is your power to do things, your force, sometimes almost your personality.
From Darwin and Modern Science by A. C. (Albert Charles) Seward
This orenda is sometimes very like the Greek thumos, your bodily life, your vigour, your passion, your power, the virtue that is in you to feel and do.
From Darwin and Modern Science by A. C. (Albert Charles) Seward
Like orenda it manifests itself in noises, but specially mysterious ones, it is mana that is rustling in the trees.
From Darwin and Modern Science by A. C. (Albert Charles) Seward
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
