Yanomami

noun

Ya·​no·​ma·​mi ˌyä-nō-ˈmä-mē 

variants or less commonly Yanomamo

ˌyä-nō-ˈmä-mō 

or Yanomama

ˌyä-nō-ˈmä-mə 

plural Yanomami also Yanomamis or Yanomamo or Yanomama

1

: an indigenous people inhabiting the rainforests of southern Venezuela and northern Brazil

also : a member of the Yanomami people

2

: the family of four closely related languages spoken by the Yanomami

Examples of Yanomami in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Chilean expat architect Downey’s work with Ecuadoran Yanomami tribal communities helped Bill see how the close video observation of radically different cultures could lead to new understandings of self and society. —David A. Ross, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2025

Along with Whitehorse, the main exhibition included Brazilian Yanomami artists Joseca Mokahesi and André Taniki; Indigenous Australian artists Marlene Gilson and Naminapu Maymuru-White; Māori artists Sandy Adsett and Selwyn Wilson; and Native American artist Kay Walkingstick (Cherokee). —Karen K. Ho, ARTnews.com, 3 Sep. 2019

After a January 2023 presidential decree ordered the air force to close the airspace over Yanomami territory, the situation improved significantly, authorities and Indigenous people said. —Fabiano Maisonnave, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Feb. 2024

The Falling Sky, about the threat to the existence of the Amazonian Yanomami people, ahead of its screening in DOC NYC next month. —Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2024

Nunes Neto's motivation stemmed from the necessity to address water pollution affecting the Yanomami tribes in the Amazon rainforest and aims to offer a practical solution for tracking environmental damage in vulnerable areas. —Sanam Mahoozi, Forbes, 6 Sep. 2024

The gold miners’ numbers now approach those of the roughly 30,000 Yanomami. —Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 May 2024

Up until the early 1970s, the Yanomami had existed in relative isolation. —Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 19 May 2024

Today, about thirty thousand Yanomami live in the Brazilian Amazon. —Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Yanomamɨ (language of the western Yanomami) yanomamɨ, a self-designation

First Known Use

1967, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for Yanomami

• chamois
• clammy
• grammy
• mammy
• sami
• sammie
• sammy
• tammy

Kids Definition

Yanomami

noun

Ya·​no·​ma·​mi ˌyän-ō-ˈmäm-ē 

plural Yanomami

: a member of the Indigenous people living in the rain forests of southern Venezuela and northern Brazil