English

Noun

squaw ‎(plural squaws)

1. (now offensive) A woman, wife; especially a Native American woman.

Usage notes

Previously used neutrally, the word began to be used as a term of contempt in the late 1800s; it is now often considered offensive.

Derived terms

Translations

References

1. ↑ Ives Goddard, The True History of the Word Squaw, in Indian Country News (April 1997), page 17A

French

Etymology

From English squaw.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /skwo/

Noun

squaw f ‎(plural squaws)

1. squaw (not pejorative in French), Native American woman

   Ces chefs, au nombre d'une douzaine, n’avaient point amené leurs femmes, malheureuses « squaws » qui ne s’élèvent guère au-dessus de la condition d’esclaves. (Jules Verne, Le Pays des fourrures, 1873)

Synonyms

• Amérindienne