musquaw

M3U1S1Q10U1A1W4

noun

The American black bear.

OriginAbenaki moskwas →
Scrabble 21
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Meanings

nounmusquaw (plural musquaws)

plural musquaws

  1. The American black bear.

Origin

  1. Abenakimoskwas“muskrat, musquash”
  2. Englishmusquaw

From a Native American (probably Algonquian) word. Perhaps from Abenaki moskwas (“muskrat, musquash”). The use of a Native American word for one animal to designate a different animal was not uncommon; compare woodchuck (“groundhog”), from an Algonquian word for the fisher marten.

More words from Abenaki

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

musquaw. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/musquaw

MLA

“musquaw.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/musquaw. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “musquaw,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/musquaw.

Source: musquaw on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.