Cayugas

/kəˈjuːɡəz/ noun

Definition

Plural of Cayuga; members of an Indigenous people originally from what is now New York, or the language they spoke; also a breed of large black duck.

Etymology

From the Cayuga nation's own name, likely meaning 'people of the marsh' or 'where the locust tree stands' in their Iroquoian language. The duck breed was named after the people.

Kelly Says

Cayugas were one of the Six Nations of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy—a political alliance so influential that it may have inspired the U.S. Constitution's structure of balanced powers.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.