Etymology

Coeur d'Alene

Today it means: A Native American ethnic group of northern Idaho. Full definition →

French Cœur
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The story

  1. French · derived fromCœur
  2. English todayCoeur d'Alene

From French Cœur d’Alêne, literally “awl heart”. The people were allegedly so called because they had a reputation for shrewdness.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.