Definition

1. Noun:
   • The Caddoan language spoken by the Arikara people: "Aricara" refers to a specific Native American language belonging to the Caddoan language family.
   • A member of the Arikara people: "Aricara" denotes an individual belonging to a Native American tribe historically located in the Dakotas, west of the Missouri River. (Note: The more common modern spelling is "Arikara".)

Usage Examples

• Noun (Language):
  • Linguists are working to document the Aricara language before it is lost.
  • Few fluent speakers of Aricara remain today.
• Noun (Person):
  • The museum exhibit was curated by an Aricara historian.
  • He is an Aricara who teaches traditional crafts.

Advanced Usage

• The term "Aricara" is an older or variant spelling. In contemporary academic and cultural contexts, the spelling "Arikara" is standard.
• The Arikara are also known historically as the Ree or Sahnish.

Variants and Related Words

• Arikara (n): The standard modern spelling for both the people and their language.
• Caddoan (adj/n): Pertaining to the language family that includes Arikara, Pawnee, and others; or a member of the peoples speaking these languages.
• Sahnish (n): The people's name for themselves, meaning "the original people from whom all others sprang."

Synonyms

• Ree (n, historical): A historical name used for the Arikara people.
• Sahnish (n): Autonym (self-designation).

Related Terms and Context

• The Arikara Nation: The contemporary tribal nation, now part of the Three Affiliated Tribes (Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation) in North Dakota.
• Missouri River: The major river along which the Arikara historically lived and traded.

Noun

1. the Caddoan language spoken by the Arikara
2. a member of the Caddo people who formerly lived in the Dakotas west of the Missouri river