Onondaga

[on-uhn-daw-guh, -dah-, -dey-]

noun

plural

Onondagas ,

plural

Onondaga .

1. a member of a tribe of Iroquoian Indians formerly inhabiting the region of Onondaga Lake.

2. the dialect of the Seneca language spoken by these Indians.

3. Lake, a salt lake in central New York. 5 miles (8 km) long; 1 mile (1.6 km) wide.

Onondaga

/ ˌɒnənˈdɑːɡə /

noun

1. a salt lake in central New York State. Area: about 13 sq km (5 sq miles)

2. a member of a North American Indian Iroquois people formerly living between Lake Champlain and the St Lawrence River

3. the language of this people, belonging to the Iroquoian family

Other Word Forms

• Onondagan adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of Onondaga¹

From the Onondaga word onǫ́·tàʔke on the hill, the name of the main Onondaga town, at successive locations

Word History and Origins

Origin of Onondaga¹

from Iroquois onõtáge', literally: on the top of the hill (the name of their principal village)

Example Sentences

At a news conference on Tuesday, Onondaga County District Attorney Bill Fitzpatrick had ordered the players to turn themselves in within 48 hours or risk being prosecuted as adults.

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The Syracuse Police Department and Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office were tracking a vehicle that had eluded police earlier, Syracuse Police Chief Joseph Cecile said during a press conference.

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Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick told the newspaper that the investigation started Sunday when family members who were worried about Nefertiti’s whereabouts contacted police.

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As Tadodaho, the spiritual leader of the Onondaga Nation, he was responsible for protecting its legacy and guiding it into the future.

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In upstate New York, bilingual highway signs in the languages of the Seneca, Onondaga and Tuscarora tribes border highways and their reservations.

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