Alacaluf

noun

Ala·​ca·​luf

variants or Alakaluf or less commonly Alikuluf

¦a-lə-kə-¦lüf,

¦ä-

plural Alacaluf or Alacalufs or Alakaluf or Alakalufs

1

a

: a people of Tierra del Fuego

b

: a member of such people

2

: a language of the Alacaluf people

Word History

Etymology

Spanish & Yahgan; Spanish alacaluf, probably from Yahgan (Innalum) Aala Kaluf, literally, western men with mussel-shell knives

First Known Use

1883, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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