bizhiw
The Ojibwe word for lynx is bizhiw.
The term refers to the wild cat species known as a lynx.
Meaning: wild cat (noun)
Which one should you use?
The word manigoozh is a formal alternative to the standard bizhiw.
Did you know?
- In many Ojibwe dialects, the term bizhiw is not just a biological label but can also be used to describe a powerful or fierce spirit in oral traditions.
- The term bizhiw descends from the Proto-Algonquian word *pešiwa, which originally referred to cats in general.
- The word bizhiw is part of a broader Algonquian linguistic family, sharing a common ancestor with languages spoken from the Atlantic coast to the Rocky Mountains.
Example sentences for Ojibwe are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Makwa and Oma are walking in the snowy woods.
- MakwaOma, bizhiw waabamigoon!Oma, look at the lynx!
- OmaAaniin, bizhiw gashkigid.Oh, the lynx is hiding.
- MakwaGichi-bizhiw waasa-daawaan.A big lynx is standing there.
- OmaBizhiw nindoon-zhaawen.I like the lynx.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lynx” translations and entries bizhiw, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bizhiw, CC BY-SA 4.0.
