ᐊᒐᐦᑯᐢ
acahkos
The Cree word for star is ᐊᒐᐦᑯᐢ (acahkos).
This noun is used in an astronomical context to refer to a luminous celestial body made of plasma.
Meaning: (astronomy) a luminous celestial body made of plasma (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
acahkos
Did you know?
- In many Cree traditions, stars are not just distant gas bodies but are viewed as the spirits of ancestors watching over the living.
- Some Cree dialects use different words for stars depending on whether they are twinkling or steady, showing a higher specificity than the English word 'star'.
- The spelling ᐊᒐᐦᑯᐢ contains the syllabic character ᐢ, which functions as a final consonant marker to ensure the word is pronounced with a distinct ending.
Example conversation
Two people are looking at the night sky.
- Aᑭᐣᐄᐣ ᒫᑲᐄ ᐊᒐᐦᑯᐢ ᓂᐣᐄᐣᐣᐣ?kinân mâkâi agahkos nî-nîn-nîn?Do you see that star?
- Bᐁᐣ, ᓂᐣᐄᐣ ᒫᑲᐄ ᐊᒐᐦᑯᐢ.ê-n, nî-nâ mâkâi agahkos.Yes, I see that star.
- Aᒫᑲᐄ ᐊᒐᐦᑯᐢ ᓂᐣᐄᐣᐣᐣ ᒫᑲᐄ ᒥᐣᐴᐣᐣᐣ.mâkâi agahkos nî-nîn-nîn mâkâi minoonn.That star is very bright.
- Bᐁᐣ, ᒥᐣᐴᐣᐣᐣ ᒫᑲᐄ.ê-n, minoonn mâkâi.Yes, it is bright.
