misikitiw
The Cree word for big is misikitiw.
misikitiw is an adjective used to describe something of a great size, similar to the English word large.
Meaning: of a great size (adj)
Did you know?
- When speaking about people, using a word for 'big' can sometimes imply a sense of importance or spiritual power rather than just physical mass.
- Because Cree is a polysynthetic language, a single word can often incorporate the noun itself, meaning 'big' and 'large object' might be fused into one complex word structure.
- In many Cree dialects, the way you express 'big' depends entirely on how you perceive the world's categories of life. An object's ability to move or grow dictates the very grammar of the word 'big' used to describe it.
Example conversation
Two people are looking at a house in the village.
- AMisikitiw wîcihâskan ê-o.Misikitiw wîcihâskan ê-o.That house is big.
- BÊy, misikitiw kî-mîcis.Êy, misikitiw kî-mîcis.Yes, it is very big.
- AMîyâw kî-mâskâw?Mîyâw kî-mâskâw?Is it new?
- BÊy, misikitiw kî-mâskâw.Êy, misikitiw kî-mâskâw.Yes, it is a big new one.
