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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

Cherokee en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • /ˌt͡ʃɛ.ɹəˈkiː/
  • (US) audio
  • (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Most likely from the Cherokee autonym ᏣᎳᎩ (tsalagi). Derivation from a Choctaw exonym meaning "those who live in caves" (compare chiluk (“cave”)) has also been suggested — the Iroquois term for the Cherokee was Oyata'ge'ronon (“inhabitants of the cave country”) — as has derivation from a Creek term for "person(s) who speak(s) a non-Creek language" (see celokketv (“to speak a non-creek language”)). Regardless of its origin, the ethnonym entered European languages at an early date, perhaps as early as the 1670s; in Spanish, the people are called the Tchalaquei as early as 1755.

Meanings

  1. A member of an indigenous North American people.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
Cherokee Number=Plur lexicographic
Cherokees Number=Plur lexicographic

Translations (10)

pt cheroqui (individual member of this people) · mr चेरोकी (individual member of this people) · cs Čerokí (individual member of this people) · cs Čerokéz (individual member of this people) · fi cherokee (individual member of this people) · chr ᎠᏣᎳᎩ (individual member of this people) · pt cherokee (individual member of this people) · de Tscherokese (individual member of this people) · hi चेरोकी (individual member of this people) · unm katuhò (individual member of this people)

Cherokee en · PROPN

Pronunciation

  • /ˌt͡ʃɛ.ɹəˈkiː/
  • (US) audio
  • (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Most likely from the Cherokee autonym ᏣᎳᎩ (tsalagi). Derivation from a Choctaw exonym meaning "those who live in caves" (compare chiluk (“cave”)) has also been suggested — the Iroquois term for the Cherokee was Oyata'ge'ronon (“inhabitants of the cave country”) — as has derivation from a Creek term for "person(s) who speak(s) a non-Creek language" (see celokketv (“to speak a non-creek language”)). Regardless of its origin, the ethnonym entered European languages at an early date, perhaps as early as the 1670s; in Spanish, the people are called the Tchalaquei as early as 1755.

Meanings

  1. An indigenous North American people.
  2. Their Iroquoian language, spoken in Oklahoma and North Carolina.
    • You don’t have to be a member of a tribe to help protect native languages. In Oklahoma, public students can choose to take Indigenous language courses like Bodéwadmimwen, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Comanche and others for school credit — an empowering step toward recognition and respect. Many tribal nations, including CPN, also offer free resources such as language apps, workshops and virtual lessons open to learners of all backgrounds and abilities. 2025 June 19, Robert Collins, “Learning an Indigenous language in Oklahoma is a living link to tribal ancestors”, in The Oklahoman, archived from the original on 23 Oct 2025:
  3. A syllabary for the Cherokee language invented by Sequoyah.
  4. A town in Colbert County, Alabama.
  5. Cherokee Village, Arkansas.
  6. A census-designated place in Butte County, California.
  7. A former gold mining settlement in Nevada County, California.
  8. A city, the county seat of Cherokee County, Iowa.
  9. A city in Crawford County, Kansas.
  10. A census-designated place in Swain County and Jackson County, North Carolina, capital of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
  11. An unincorporated community in Logan County, Ohio.
  12. A city, the county seat of Alfalfa County, Oklahoma.
  13. An unincorporated community in Grainger County, Tennessee.
  14. An unincorporated community in San Saba County, Texas.
  15. An unincorporated community in McDowell County, West Virginia.
  16. An unincorporated community in Hull, Marathon County, Wisconsin.
  17. A locality in the Shire of Macedon Ranges, central Victoria, Australia.
  18. (abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis) Ellipsis of Cherokee County.

Deriveds

Cherokee Village · Cherokee plum · Cherokee County · Cherokee Strip · Cherokee rose · Cherokee Outlet

Synonyms

Cherokee Village (the Arkansas and Tennessee communities)

Translations (63)

fr cherokee (syllabary) · pt cherokee (language) · ga siollabra Seiricíoch (syllabary) · ky черокиче (language) · cmn 切羅基語 /切罗基语 (language) · ru черо́ки (indigenous North American people) · pt cheroqui (language) · nv Chééwokii dineʼé bizaad (language) · fr Cherokees (indigenous North American people) · chr ᏣᎳᎩ (capital of the Eastern Band of Cherokee) · arn chiroki dungun (language) · el Τσερόκι (indigenous North American people) · de Cherokesen (indigenous North American people) · ru черо́ки (language) · ru язы́к черо́ки (language) · de Cherokee (language) · es cheroquí (syllabary) · pt cherokee (syllabary) · nv Chééwokii dineʼé (indigenous North American people) · pt cherokees (indigenous North American people) · es cheroquí (indigenous North American people) · fi cherokee-kirjoitus (syllabary) · fr cherokee (language) · fa چروکی (indigenous North American people) · fy Sjeroky (language) · chr ᏣᎳᎩ ᏗᎪᏪᎶᏙᏗ (syllabary) · unm Katuhook (indigenous North American people) · pt cheroquis (indigenous North American people) · chr ᏣᎳᎩ ᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ (language) · gur seroki (language) · bnn Ciluki (indigenous North American people) · de Tscherokesen (indigenous North American people) · de Tscherokesisch (language) · vo cirog (language) · hy չերոկի (language) · ka ჩეროკი (indigenous North American people) · ko 체로키어 (language) · bg черо́кски (language) · acw الكهفي (indigenous North American people) · eo ĉeroka (language) · pl czirokeski (language) · pl Czirokezi (indigenous North American people) · sw Kicherokii (syllabary) · sw Kicherokii (language) · chr ᏣᎳᎩ (indigenous North American people) · ga Seiricíoch (indigenous North American people) · fi cherokeet (indigenous North American people) · nl Cherokee (language) · ja チェロキー語 (language) · bg черо́ки (indigenous North American people) · nl Cherokee (indigenous North American people) · sw Mcherokii (indigenous North American people) · sv cherokesiska (language) · ga Seiricis (language) · ka ჩეროკი (language) · fa چروکی (language) · fi cherokee (language) · bg черо́кски ези́к (language) · es cheroquí (language) · sv Cherokeser (indigenous North American people) · ru черо́ки (syllabary) · pt cheroqui (syllabary) · chr ᎡᎳᏬᏗ (capital of the Eastern Band of Cherokee)