ogimaakwe
The Ojibwe word for princess is ogimaakwe.
ogimaakwe is used to refer to a female member of a royal family.
Meaning: female member of royal family (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of ogim meaning leader or chief and the feminine suffix -akwe meaning female.
How does it change in a sentence?
As a noun, ogimaakwe inherently carries a feminine gender through its suffix. For comparison, the term Ikwe means woman.
Did you know?
- In traditional Anishinaabe culture, leadership was often based on consensus and merit rather than the hereditary lines common to European 'princesses'.
- The root ogimaa does not just mean 'chief' in a political sense, but also refers to a 'boss' or 'leader' in modern workplace settings.
- The word ogimaa describes not only a person but can also be used as a verb to describe the act of leading others.
Example conversation
Migizi and Miskwaa are reading a storybook together.
- MigiziAaniishii ogimaakwe gina-niizhigad.The princess is young.
- MiskwaaEyaaa, ezhinikaadawaa ogimaakwe.Yes, she is called a princess.
- MigiziGinoo-wiindam awenen ogimaakwe?Who is the princess?
- MiskwaaAwan ogimaakwe niizhoogid.That woman is a princess.
