Chumash

noun

Chu·​mash ˈchü-ˌmash How to pronounce Chumash (audio)
1
plural Chumash : a member of an Indigenous people of southwestern California
2
: the family of languages spoken by the Chumash people

Examples of Chumash in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
And in October, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration created the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary. Debra Utacia Krol, The Arizona Republic, 25 Oct. 2024 Along 116 miles of central California’s stunning shoreline, a new national marine sanctuary aims to protect coastal and ocean waters and the homeland of the Northern Chumash Tribe. Alexa Robles-Gil, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Oct. 2024 Federal officials have now formally designated the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary off the California coast, prohibiting oil drilling across 4,543 square miles. Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2024 Isaac Michael Ybarra, a visual artist and storyteller, is Tongva, Chumash and Xicano. Isaac Michael Ybarra, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for Chumash 

Word History

Etymology

from Tcú-mac, name in a coastal Chumash language for the inhabitants of Santa Rosa Island

First Known Use

1891, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Chumash was in 1891

Dictionary Entries Near Chumash

Cite this Entry

“Chumash.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Chumash. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on Chumash

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