Chinook jargon

noun

often capitalized J
: a pidgin language based on Chinook and other Indian languages, French, and English and formerly used as a lingua franca in the northwestern U.S. and on the Pacific coast of Canada and Alaska

Word History

First Known Use

1840, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Chinook jargon was in 1840

Dictionary Entries Near Chinook jargon

Cite this Entry

“Chinook jargon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Chinook%20jargon. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

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