Definition

1. Noun:
   • The Athapaskan language spoken by the Navaho people: A complex, tonal language belonging to the Na-Dené language family, traditionally spoken by the Navajo people in the Southwestern United States.
   • A member of an Athapaskan people that migrated to Arizona and New Mexico and Utah: Refers to an individual belonging to the Navajo Nation, the largest federally recognized tribe in the United States, with a rich cultural history in the Southwest.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Language):

  • She is studying to become a fluent speaker of Navaho.
  • The linguist recorded an oral history in the Navaho language.

• Noun (Person):

  • The Navaho artisan is renowned for her intricate silverwork and weaving.
  • He is a Navaho from a community in New Mexico.

Advanced Usage

• Cultural Reference: The term is often used in anthropological, linguistic, and historical contexts to discuss the language, culture, or people. The spelling "Navaho" is an older variant; "Navajo" is now more common in official and contemporary usage.
  • Early 20th-century texts frequently used the spelling Navaho.

Variants and Related Words

• Navajo (n): The more prevalent contemporary spelling for both the people and the language.

  • The Navajo Nation is the largest Native American territory.

• Diné (n): The term the Navajo people use for themselves in their own language, meaning "the people."

  • She introduced herself as Diné.

• Athapaskan / Athabaskan (n, adj): Referring to the large language family to which Navaho belongs, encompassing languages in North America.

  • Navajo is the most widely spoken Athapaskan language.

Synonyms

• Navajo (n): The primary synonym for both meanings.
• Diné (n): A synonym specifically for a member of the people (used by the people themselves).

Related Phrases

• Navaho weaving / Navajo weaving (n): A famous and highly valued textile art form.

  • The museum has a collection of historic Navaho weaving.

• Navaho code talker / Navajo code talker (n): A member of the Navajo people who used their language as a code for secure communication by the U.S. military during World War II.

  • The Navaho code talkers played a crucial role in the Pacific theater.

Noun

1. the Athapaskan language spoken by the Navaho
2. a member of an Athapaskan people that migrated to Arizona and New Mexico and Utah