Dictionary

manitou en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈmanɪtuː/

Etymology

From Pidgin Delaware Manétto, from Unami manëtu and Munsee manútoow, later influenced by French manitou, from Cree/Montagnais manito꞉w; from Proto-Algonquian *maneto·wa (“supernatural being”).

Meanings

1. A god or spirit as the object of religious awe or ritual among some American Indians.
   • The favourite abode of this Manitou is still shown. It is a great rock or cliff on the loneliest part of the mountains, and, … is known by the name of the Garden Rock. 1819, Washington Irving, The Sketch Book, Rip Van Winkle:
   • If it were possible to translate the comprehensive and melodious language in which he spoke, the ode might read something like the following: "Manitou! Manitou! Manitou! Thou art great, thou art good, thou art wise: Manitou! Manitou! Thou art just." 1826, James Fenimore Cooper, The Last of the Mohicans, published 1888, page 319:
   • My father strung it high in a tree for the manitous to watch over. 2005, Joseph Boyden, Three Day Road, Penguin, published 2008, page 43:
   • Each Ojibway shaman's method of communication with the manitou patron is unique and is related to a personal dream experience. 1987, John A Grim, The Shaman, page 143:

Forms

Translations (15)

cr ᒪᓂᑐᐤ (A god or spirit as the object of religious awe or ritual among some American Indians) · pt manitó (A god or spirit as the object of religious awe or ritual among some American Indians) · lkt Wakȟáŋ Tȟáŋka (A god or spirit as the object of religious awe or ritual among some American Indians) · unm manëtu (A god or spirit as the object of religious awe or ritual among some American Indians) · xpq manto (A god or spirit as the object of religious awe or ritual among some American Indians) · tr manitu (A god or spirit as the object of religious awe or ritual among some American Indians) · de Manitu (A god or spirit as the object of religious awe or ritual among some American Indians) · pt manitu (A god or spirit as the object of religious awe or ritual among some American Indians) · cs Manitou (A god or spirit as the object of religious awe or ritual among some American Indians) · ru маниту (A god or spirit as the object of religious awe or ritual among some American Indians) · sac manetôwa (A god or spirit as the object of religious awe or ritual among some American Indians) · oj manidoo (A god or spirit as the object of religious awe or ritual among some American Indians) · ja マニトゥ (A god or spirit as the object of religious awe or ritual among some American Indians) · mic mntu (A god or spirit as the object of religious awe or ritual among some American Indians) · moh orę́·naʔ (A god or spirit as the object of religious awe or ritual among some American Indians)