Apache

/ə'pɑ:ʃ/
Học thuật
Thân thiện
Definition
  1. Noun:
    • A member of certain Athabaskan-speaking Native American tribes: This refers to any person belonging to various tribes originally inhabiting the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, known for their resistance during the 19th century.
    • The language spoken by the Apache peoples: This refers to the group of Southern Athabaskan languages spoken by the Apache tribes.
    • A violent street ruffian, especially in Paris (archaic): This is a dated term, borrowed from French, for a gangster or violent criminal in Paris.
Examples
  • Noun (Tribal Member):
    • Geronimo was a famous Apache leader.
    • The museum has an exhibit on Apache culture and history.
  • Noun (Language):
    • Fewer people speak Apache as their first language today.
    • She is studying to preserve the Apache language.
  • Noun (Parisian Ruffian):
    • The novel depicted the dark underworld of Parisian apaches in the early 1900s. (Note: This usage is now historical and rare.)
Advanced Usage
  • Cultural Reference: The term is often used in historical and anthropological contexts to discuss the tribes' history, culture, and conflicts with the United States government.
    • The Apache Wars were a significant series of conflicts in the American Southwest.
Variants and Related Words
  • Apachean (adj): Relating to the Apache peoples or their languages.
    • Apachean linguistics is a specialized field of study.
  • Western Apache, Chiricahua Apache, Jicarilla Apache: Names of specific Apache groups or their languages.
Synonyms
  • Tribal Member: N/A (Proper noun for a specific ethnic group).
  • Language: N/A (Proper noun for a specific language family).
  • Ruffian: gangster, hoodlum, thug (for the archaic Parisian sense).
Related Phrases
  • Apache helicopter: A U.S. Army attack helicopter. (Note: This is a compound proper noun named after the Native American tribe, not a direct usage of the word "apache" itself).
  • Apache tears: A type of rounded obsidian nugget. (Note: This is a compound noun with a folkloric origin related to the Apache people).
Related Idioms
  • There are no common idioms using the word "apache" in isolation. The term is primarily used as a proper noun.
Noun
  1. the language of the Apache
  2. a Parisian gangster
  3. any member of Athapaskan tribes that migrated to the southwestern desert (from Arizona to Texas and south into Mexico); fought a losing battle from 1861 to 1886 with the United States and were resettled in Oklahoma