wazhashk
The English word muskrat is wazhashk in Ojibwe.
The term refers to the muskrat, which is a type of rodent.
Meaning: rodent (noun)
Which one should you use?
The word bizhikiins is also used to mean muskrat.
Did you know?
- In some Ojibwe stories, the wazhashk is depicted as a trickster figure or a clever survivor, rather than just a simple rodent.
- The root of wazhashk can be traced back to the Proto-Algonquian reconstruction *waʔšaškwa, which has been preserved through thousands of years of linguistic evolution.
- The muskrat is historically significant in the Great Lakes region, where the wazhashk provided essential furs and food for the Anishinaabe people.
Example sentences for Ojibwe are not verified yet.
Example conversation
Miskwaa and Makwa are walking by a lake.
- MiskwaaWazhashk gimiwan gaa-wiin.A muskrat is swimming over there.
- MakwaAaniish wazhashk gaa-wiin?Where is the muskrat?
- MiskwaaGaa-wiin, nigaani!Over there, to the right!
- MakwaGigo wazhashk gaa-wiin.That muskrat is over there.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “muskrat” translations and entries wazhashk, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries wazhashk, CC BY-SA 4.0.
