Sami

noun

Sa·​mi ˈsä-mē How to pronounce Sami (audio)
variants or less commonly
plural Sami or Samis also Saami or Saamis
1
: a member of a people of northern Scandinavia, Finland, and the Kola Peninsula of northern Russia who are traditionally fishermen, nomadic herders of caribou, and hunters of sea mammals
2
: any or all of the closely related Finno-Ugric languages of the Sami people

Word History

Etymology

of Sami origin; akin to North Sami sápmi, genitive sámi the Sami homeland, language, or way of life

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Sami was in 1842

Dictionary Entries Near Sami

Cite this Entry

“Sami.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Sami. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.

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