Cayuse

noun

plural Cayuse or Cayuses
1
: a member of a once-nomadic Indigenous people of the northwestern U.S. located primarily in eastern Oregon and Washington

Note: The Cayuse now exist as part of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation in northeastern Oregon.

2
cayuse plural cayuses, Western US : a native range horse

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1825, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Cayuse was in 1825

Dictionary Entries Near Cayuse

Cite this Entry

“Cayuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Cayuse. Accessed 15 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

cayuse

noun
cay·​use
ˈkī-ˌ(y)üs,
kī-ˈ(y)üs
: a small native horse of the western U.S.

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