Eskimo

American  

[es-kuh-moh] / ˈɛs kəˌmoʊ /

noun

• Eskimos,
  plural
• Eskimo
  plural

1. Sometimes Offensive. a member of a group of Indigenous peoples of Greenland, northern Canada, Alaska, and northeastern Siberia.

2. any of the languages of these peoples, divided into two branches: Inuit, spoken in Greenland, Canada, and northern Alaska, and Yupik, spoken in southern Alaska and Siberia.

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adjective

1. Sometimes Offensive. of or relating to a group of Indigenous peoples of Greenland, northern Canada, Alaska, and northeastern Siberia or their languages.

Eskimo British  

/ ˈɛskɪˌməʊ /

noun

1. a member of a group of peoples inhabiting N Canada, Greenland, Alaska, and E Siberia, having a material culture adapted to an extremely cold climate

2. the language of these peoples

3. a family of languages that includes Eskimo and Aleut

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adjective

1. relating to, denoting, or characteristic of the Eskimos

Sensitivity

The name Inuit, by which the Native people of the Arctic from northern Alaska to western Greenland call themselves, has largely supplanted Eskimo in Canada and is used officially by the Canadian government. Canadians, as well as many Americans (especially Indigenous Alaskans), consider Eskimo derogatory, in part because the word was, erroneously, long thought to mean literally “eater of raw meat.” Inuit , properly a more specific term referring to speakers of the Inuit language, has come to be used in a wider sense to name all people traditionally called Eskimo, regardless of local self-designations. Anthropologically, the term Native American is sometimes used to include these peoples, as well as the Aleuts. However, the term Indian, still commonly used for a number of Indigenous people of the Americas, is not applied to the Inuit, Yupik, and Aleut of Arctic North America. Eskimo continues to be used in certain contexts, especially in historical and archaeological reference to these peoples as a cultural and linguistic group. However, broad use of Eskimo, as in marketing and branding, has largely been rejected, and products, sports teams, or companies that used the word in the past are finding new names.

Usage

Eskimo is considered by many to be offensive, and in North America the term Inuit is usually preferred. Inuit , however, can be accurately applied only to those Aboriginal peoples inhabiting parts of Northern Canada, Alaska, and Greenland (as distinguished from those in Asia or the Aleutian Islands)

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• Eskimoan
  adjective
• Eskimoid
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• Eskimo
  plural
• Eskimos
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of Eskimo

First recorded in 1575–85; from earlier Esqimawe(s), apparently via French (of 16th-century Basque fishermen), from Spanish esquimao(s), from Montagnais ( French spelling) aiachkimeou- a name for the Mi'kmaq, extended or transferred to the Labrador Eskimo among the eastern Montagnais; perhaps literally, “snowshoe-netter” (compare Ojibwe aškime· “to net snowshoes”); cf. husky ²

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Compare meaning

How does eskimo compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Eskimo vs. Inuit

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Eskimo Eskimos

Walt Disney made history in 1954 after winning four Oscars for four different projects – including best documentary for The Living Desert and best documentary short for The Alaskan Eskimo.

From BBC ● Mar. 13, 2026

When the armed Siberian Yupik Eskimo egg hunters showed up, the Navy men didn’t know if they were about to be captured or rescued.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 1, 2023

Panda, a black poodle-mix breed, won the "princess in pink" award for her bright outfit and the prize of "green with envy" went to Ela, an American Eskimo dog, for her floral dress.

From Reuters ● Dec. 12, 2022

“Stillwater” gets its name from the north-central home to Oklahoma State University and the popular restaurant Eskimo Joe’s.

From New York Times ● Aug. 4, 2021

Sometimes she tried to spell Eskimo words with the English alphabet.

From "Julie of the Wolves" by Jean Craighead George

Ebell wasn’t considered big enough for the NFL, but he led the Edmonton Eskimos of the CFL with 1,318 total yards in 2007 before a ruptured Achilles tendon ended his career a year later.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 24, 2025

It was Halas, who was partners with Marshall in the American Basketball League, who recruited Marshall to buy the Duluth Eskimos and join the NFL.

From Washington Times ● Oct. 4, 2023

American Eskimos, Neapolitans, French bulldogs, a Siberian husky and American Staffordshire terrier, maltipoos, poodle crossbreeds and golden retrievers were some of the dogs that took to the red carpet and won prices.

From Reuters ● Dec. 12, 2022

Eskimo Pies became Edy’s Pies, and the Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League announced a name change, too.

From Washington Post ● Jul. 23, 2021

Polar Eskimos lost the bow and arrow and the kayak, while Dorset Eskimos lost the bow and arrow, bow drill, and dogs.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

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