Penobscot

noun

Pe·​nob·​scot pə-ˈnäb-ˌskät How to pronounce Penobscot (audio)
-skət
plural Penobscot or Penobscots
: a member of an Algonquian-speaking Indigenous people of the Penobscot River valley and Penobscot Bay region of Maine

Word History

Etymology

earlier Panawamske, from Eastern Abenaki pαnáwαhpskek, a village name, literally, where the rocks widen

First Known Use

1624, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Penobscot was in 1624

Dictionary Entries Near Penobscot

Cite this Entry

“Penobscot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Penobscot. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

Geographical Definition

Penobscot

geographical name

Pe·​nob·​scot pə-ˈnäb-ˌskät How to pronounce Penobscot (audio)
-skət
river 101 miles (162 kilometers) long in central Maine flowing south into Penobscot Bay (inlet of the Atlantic Ocean)

More from Merriam-Webster on Penobscot

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!