Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • A member of a Native American people: A Mahican is a person belonging to an Algonquian people originally inhabiting the Hudson River Valley and areas eastward to the Housatonic River.
   • The language of this people: Mahican refers to the now-extinct Algonquian language historically spoken by the Mahican people.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun (referring to a person):
  • The historical figure known as Hendrick was a Mahican leader.
  • The museum exhibit honors the culture of the Mahican.
• Proper noun (referring to the language):
  • Linguists have studied records to understand the Mahican language.
  • Few written documents preserve the vocabulary of Mahican.

Advanced Usage

• The term "Mahican" is often used in historical and anthropological contexts to distinguish this specific group from the neighboring Mohegan people, who are a distinct tribe with a different history and language.
• In literature, the name is famously associated with James Fenimore Cooper's novel , though the title uses a variant spelling.

Variants and Related Words

• Mohican: A common variant spelling of "Mahican." This spelling is widely recognized due to its use in popular culture.
• Mahican Confederacy: Refers to the historical political alliance of Mahican bands.
• Stockbridge-Munsee Community: The name of the federally recognized Native American tribe in Wisconsin that comprises descendants of the Mahican and Munsee peoples.

Synonyms

• Mohican (variant spelling)
• River Indians (a historical exonym sometimes used for the Mahican people)

Related Terms and Context

• Algonquian: Refers to the large language family to which the Mahican language belonged, as well as the broader cultural group.
• Hudson Valley: The primary historical homeland of the Mahican people.
• Mohegan: A distinct Algonquian tribe, often confused with the Mahican due to similar names but with a different history and location (primarily in Connecticut).

Noun

1. the Algonquian language spoken by the Mohican
2. a member of the Algonquian people formerly living in the Hudson valley and eastward to the Housatonic