Seminole

American  

[sem-uh-nohl] / ˈsɛm əˌnoʊl /

noun

Seminoles plural

1. a member of any of several groupings of North American Indians comprising emigrants from the Creek Confederacy territories to Florida or their descendants in Florida and Oklahoma, especially the culturally conservative present-day Florida Indians.

2. either of the Muskogean languages spoken by the Seminoles, comprising Mikasuki and the Florida or Seminole dialect of Creek.

---

adjective

1. of or relating to the Seminoles or their languages.

Seminole British  

/ ˈsɛmɪˌnəʊl /

noun

1. a member of a North American Indian people consisting of Creeks who moved into Florida in the 18th century

2. the language of this people, belonging to the Muskhogean family

---

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• Seminoles
  plural
• Seminole
  plural

Etymology

Origin of Seminole

First recorded in 1760–70; earlier Seminolie, from Creek simanó·li “wild, runaway,” alteration of earlier and dialectal simaló·ni, from Colonial Spanish cimarrón; see maroon ²

Example Sentences

They often involve hiring expert witnesses and performing forensic investigations, said Florida attorney Bill Scherer, who is representing the Seminole tribe in its lawsuit against Lennar.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026

The Seminole Tribe of Florida is alleging in litigation that Lennar built more than 450 defective homes with improperly installed roofs and mold-ridden walls, causing health problems.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026

Jim Allen, chairman of Hard Rock International and chief executive at Seminole Gaming, said in a news release that the casino would “set a new standard for entertainment in the region.”

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 7, 2025

It spread to Mexico when an unvaccinated Mennonite child returned home after visiting family in Seminole.

From Salon • Aug. 26, 2025

On Seminole, the birth celebrations were tempered by the prospect of death.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides