Stó:lō

noun

A First Nations group in the Canadian province of British Columbia that speaks the upriver dialctect of the Salishan language known as Halkomelem.

Meanings

nounStó:lō sg or pl

alternative Sto:lo · alternative Stó:lô

  1. pluralsingularA First Nations group in the Canadian province of British Columbia that speaks the upriver dialctect of the Salishan language known as Halkomelem.

    Stó:lō writer Lee Maracle, who championed the stories of Indigenous women to change the face of Canadian literature, has died.

    2021 November 11, “Stó:lō author Lee Maracle, a leading voice in Indigenous literature, dies at 71”, in Global News
    3 more examples

    It was, in fact, a little harder than normal for the local fishermen to navigate the swollen waters of the mighty Fraser to net fish for the salmon ceremony, said Stó:lō grand chief Ken Malloway.

    2012 June 28, Jennifer Feinberg, “Salmon savoured at Aboriginal Day Celebration in Chilliwack”, in The Chilliwack Progress

    This is Th'exelis. It is one of more than 100 sites where Stó:lō people believe their ancestors were transformed to stone. These sites contain living spirits, or Shxweli, and stand as cautionary tales from their ancestors.

    2017 April 22, Francesca Bianco and Holly McKenzie Sutter, “Set in Stone: Stó:lō ancestors' spirits live in Fraser Valley landmarks”, in CBC News

    "We wanted to start it because no one was getting any names handed down at that time," said Stó:lō elder Kwosel, who goes by her Halq'eméylem name.

    2018 May 19, Ryan Patrick Jones and Kallan Lyons, “B.C. school holds traditional naming ceremonies for Sto:lo youth”, in CBC News

Origin

  1. HalkomelemStó:lō
  2. EnglishStó:lō

Unadapted borrowing from Halkomelem Stó:lō.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

Stó:lō. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/St%C3%B3%3Al%C5%8D

MLA

“Stó:lō.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/St%C3%B3%3Al%C5%8D. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Stó:lō,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/St%C3%B3%3Al%C5%8D.

Source: Stó:lō on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.