Cherokee

noun

Cher·​o·​kee ˈcher-ə-(ˌ)kē How to pronounce Cherokee (audio)
ˈche-rə-
1
plural Cherokee or Cherokees : a member of a nation of once-nomadic Indigenous peoples located originally in the Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina
2
: the Iroquoian language of the Cherokee people

Examples of Cherokee 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.
His wife also works for the Cherokee County detention center and his son-in-law works for the sheriff's office. Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 1 July 2025 The nine cities that are participating are Cherokee Village, Fairfield Bay, Heber Springs, Helena-West Helena, Horseshoe Bend, Russellville, Bull Shoals, Lakeview and Hot Springs Village. Harley Walls, Arkansas Online, 29 June 2025 The blind zones of six popular passenger vehicles – Chevrolet Suburban, Ford F-150, Honda Accord, Honda CR-V, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Toyota Camry – grew substantially over the past 25 years and resulted in a decrease in forward visibility. Tanya Mohn, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025 Immediately after receiving the woman’s complaint, Cherokee Indian Police launched a criminal investigation that included interviewing the woman and pulling surveillance videos and license plate reader information, Welch wrote. Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 28 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for Cherokee

Word History

Etymology

probably ultimately from Creek calá·kki

First Known Use

1721, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Cherokee was in 1721

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Cite this Entry

“Cherokee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Cherokee. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

Cherokee

noun
Cher·​o·​kee ˈcher-ə-ˌkē How to pronounce Cherokee (audio)
: a member of an Indigenous people originally from Tennessee and North Carolina
also : their language

More from Merriam-Webster on Cherokee

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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