Yanktonai

noun

Yank·​to·​nai ˌyaŋk-tə-ˈnā How to pronounce Yanktonai (audio)
plural Yanktonai or Yanktonais
: a member of a Dakota people of the upper Midwestern United States

Examples of Yanktonai 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.
In 1958, Yanktonai Dakota artist Oscar Howe entered a Native art competition at the Philbrook Museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Debra Utacia Krol, USA TODAY, 28 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Dakota ihą́ktʰųwąna, a Yanktonai self-designation, literally, "little village on the end," from ihą́ke "on the end" + tʰųwą́ "village" + -na, diminutive suffix

First Known Use

1863, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Yanktonai was in 1863

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Yanktonai.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Yanktonai. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.

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