Miskito

noun

Mi·​ski·​to mi-ˈskē-(ˌ)tō How to pronounce Miskito (audio)
1
plural Miskito or Miskitos : a member of an Indigenous people of the Atlantic coast of Nicaragua and Honduras
2
: the language of the Miskito people

Examples of Miskito 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 distant villages inhabited by Indigenous people known as the Miskito, homes were leveled and growing fields were ravaged. Miriam Jordan, New York Times, 28 Nov. 2023

Word History

Etymology

earlier Musketa, Moskita, from Spanish Mosquito, from Miskito mɨskito, probably a self-designation

First Known Use

1697, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Miskito was in 1697

Dictionary Entries Near Miskito

Cite this Entry

“Miskito.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Miskito. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on Miskito

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!