squaw

noun

plural squaws
1
offensive : an Indigenous woman of North America
2
dated, disparaging + offensive : woman, wife

Word History

Etymology

Massachusett squa, ussqua woman

First Known Use

1622, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of squaw was in 1622

Dictionary Entries Near squaw

Cite this Entry

“Squaw.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/squaw. Accessed 23 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on squaw

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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