Arikara

noun

Arik·​a·​ra ə-ˈri-kə-rə How to pronounce Arikara (audio)
1
plural Arikara : a member of an Indigenous people of the Missouri River valley in North Dakota

Note: The Arikara are federally recognized as part of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation in North Dakota.

2
: the language of the Arikara

Examples of Arikara in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The company worked with the indigenous MHA Nation tribes (Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara) on the dire wolf project, and the tribes have expressed a desire to have dire wolves live on their lands in North Dakota. Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 7 Apr. 2025 Wolves became a focus at Colossal after Lamm and James had a meeting with The MHA (Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara) Nation in central North Dakota. Mike Snider, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025 The Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation has expressed interest in hosting dire wolves on tribal land, and Colossal is studying the feasibility of that proposal. John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025 Luger, who was born on Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota and is Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara and Lakota, found inspiration in structures created by Indigenous people in the South Pacific in the 1940s. Laura Regensdorf Katharine Sohn Laura Bannister Osman Can Yerebakan Shannon Adducci, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2025 That’s what makes the Stampede so special for 21-year-old Jessee Vigen, who is a member of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation. Kate Nelson, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 July 2024 The Fort Berthold Indian Reservation, home to the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara peoples, was formally established in 1870 by executive order. Melvin Backman, Quartz, 12 July 2024 Created by Arikara artist Lauren Good Day in 2012, the dress honors her grandfather, Blue Bird, who fought in the Vietnam War. Ella Feldman, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 July 2024 The Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation in North Dakota, known as the MHA Nation, is wealthy from oil and gas revenue and has its own inpatient and sober living facilities. Ben Tanen, Washington Post, 8 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

probably from a Pawnee name for an Arikara band

First Known Use

1811, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Arikara was in 1811

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Cite this Entry

“Arikara.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Arikara. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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