namegos
/nʌˈmeː.ɡos/
The Ojibwe word for salmon is namegos.
namegos is a noun used to refer to the salmon fish.
Meaning: fish (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The word has three syllables, with the stress on the second syllable. It is pronounced /nʌˈmeː.ɡos/.
Did you know?
- In some Ojibwe dialects, namegos is used as a general term for several types of fish, not just the biological salmon.
- In traditional Ojibwe culture, the fish referred to as namegos often holds spiritual significance tied to the water and the cycles of nature.
- The word namegos is a cognate of the Cree word namekos and the Atikamekw word namekos. This shows a deep linguistic link between these nations through their shared Proto-Algonquian ancestor.
Example conversation
Migizi and Miskwaa are fishing by the river.
- MigiziAaniin, namegos gaa-izhi-nooding?Hi, is there salmon in the wind?
- MiskwaaEeyii, namegos gaa-zhibiig.Yes, the salmon is in the river.
- MigiziAandaago namegos gaa-naamigid.Look, the salmon is swimming.
- MiskwaaGaaweyaawin namegos gaa-izhaawin!It really is a salmon fish!
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry namegos, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries namegos, CC BY-SA 4.0.
