Definition

1. Noun:
   • A member of an Indigenous people: An Aleut is a person belonging to the Indigenous community inhabiting the Aleutian Islands and southwestern Alaska.
   • The language of this people: Aleut is the language spoken by this community, which belongs to the Eskimo-Aleut language family.

Usage Examples

• Noun (referring to a person):
  • The Aleut have a rich tradition of sea mammal hunting.
  • She is an Aleut from Unalaska Island.
• Noun (referring to the language):
  • Fewer young people are fluent in Aleut today.
  • He is studying the grammar of the Aleut language.

Advanced Usage

• Cultural and linguistic context: The term is used in anthropological and linguistic discussions to denote a specific cultural and linguistic group distinct from, though related to, the Eskimo (Inuit and Yupik) peoples.
  • The exhibit highlights Aleut craftsmanship in bentwood hats.

Variants and Related Words

• Aleutian (adj): Pertaining to the Aleut people, their culture, or the Aleutian Islands.
  • The Aleutian kayak, or baidarka, is highly maneuverable.
• Unangax̂ (noun): The self-designation for the Aleut people and their language in their own language.
  • The Unangax̂ have lived in the region for thousands of years.

Synonyms

• Unangan (noun): Another term for the Aleut people, often used in scholarly contexts.
• Eskimo-Aleut speaker (noun phrase): A broader term referring to speakers of languages within this family, which includes Aleut.

Notes on Meaning

• The term "Aleut" refers specifically to the people and language of the Aleutian Islands and parts of Alaska. It is not a synonym for all Arctic Indigenous peoples; the Inuit and Yupik peoples are culturally and linguistically related but distinct groups.
• In historical contexts, the term was sometimes used more broadly by outsiders, but modern usage is specific to the defined group.

Noun

1. the language spoken by the Aleut
2. a community of Native Americans who speak an Eskimo-Aleut language and inhabit the Aleutian Islands and southwestern Alaska
   • the Aleut and the Eskimo are related culturally and linguistically
3. a member of the people inhabiting the Aleutian Islands and southwestern Alaska