Inuit
noun
Note: In Canada, the name Inuit refers to one of three major, legally recognized groups of aboriginal peoples, the other two being the First Nations and the Métis.
see also inuk
Usage of Eskimo and Inuit
Eskimo is a word that presents challenges for anyone who is concerned about avoiding the use of offensive language. Its offensiveness stems partly from a now-discredited belief that it was originally a pejorative term meaning "eater of raw flesh," but perhaps more significantly from its being a word imposed on aboriginal peoples by outsiders. It has long been considered a word to be avoided in Canada, where native people refer to themselves as Inuit, a word that means "people" in their language. But not all the native people who are referred to as Eskimos are Inuit. Eskimo has no exact synonym; it has a general meaning that encompasses a number of indigenous peoples, and it continues for now in widespread use in many parts of the English-speaking world.
Examples of Inuit in a Sentence
Willem Marx, NPR, 11 Mar. 2025
Egede’s Inuit Ataqatigiit party, which currently holds 11 seats, is expected to pick up an even greater majority following the Tuesday election.
—Caitlin McFall, Fox News, 11 Mar. 2025
That movement has been led by Egede and the ruling party, the democratic socialist Inuit Ataqatigiit.
—Leah Sarnoff, ABC News, 11 Mar. 2025
The self-governing region of Denmark is home to 56,000 people, most from Indigenous Inuit backgrounds, and occupies a strategic North Atlantic location.
—Danica Kirka, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2025
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Articles Related to Inuit
Cite this Entry
“Inuit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Inuit. Accessed 14 Mar. 2025.
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Inuit
noun
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