Eskimo

Eskimo

A short documentary-style narration: origin, meaning, and feel.

Part of speech

noun (older term — see usage note)

Pronunciation

ESS-ki-mo   /ˈɛskɪməʊ/

Definition

An older English term, now widely considered outdated and in some regions offensive, for the indigenous peoples of the Arctic regions of Greenland, Canada, Alaska, and eastern Siberia. The preferred modern terms are Inuit, Yupik, and the specific names that each community uses for itself.

Plain meaning

An old English word for several different Arctic peoples. Today, the people prefer to be called by their own names — most often Inuit or Yupik — and the word eskimo is mostly avoided in respectful modern use.

Register

Outdated and often considered offensive in Canada; tolerated in some scientific contexts in Alaska only when no more specific term is available. Avoid in modern writing whenever a self-chosen community name can be used instead.