seawan

or sea·want, se·wan

[ see-wuhn ]

noun

1. wampum ( def 1 ).

seawan

/ ˈsiːwən /

noun

1. shell beads, usually unstrung, used by certain North American Indians as money; wampum

Word History and Origins

Origin of seawan¹

First recorded in 1620–30, Americanism; from New York Dutch sewan, zeewan, zeewant, etc., from Munsee Delaware *sé·wan “unstrung wampum,” literally, “that which is in a scattered state,” derivative of se·(w)- “scatter(ed)”

Word History and Origins

Origin of seawan¹

C18: from Narraganset seawohn loose