Chinook

noun

Chi·​nook shə-ˈnu̇k How to pronounce Chinook (audio) -ˈnük How to pronounce Chinook (audio)
chə-
plural Chinook or Chinooks
1
: a member of an Indigenous people of the north shore of the Columbia River at its mouth
2
: a Chinookan language of the Chinook and other nearby peoples
3
or less commonly chinook
a
: a warm moist southwest wind of the coast from Oregon northward
b
: a warm dry wind that descends the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains
4
or less commonly chinook plural chinook also chinooks : chinook salmon
5
: any of a rare breed of large, muscular dogs that were developed in New Hampshire in the early 1900s as sled and working dogs and have a yellow, reddish-yellow, or yellowish-brown coat and calm temperament
Among the dogs he [Arthur Treadwell Walden] used for breeding the Chinook were descendants of Admiral Peary's Greenland expedition huskies, along with mastiff-types.John Nolan

Examples of Chinook in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Restoring the North Yuba River Spring-run Chinook salmon returned to the cool waters of the North Yuba River first as eggs, fertilized at Feather River Fish Hatchery in Oroville and embedded in October in the river’s gravel, similar to how adult salmon spawn, according to a news release. Jake Goodrick, Sacramento Bee, 25 Feb. 2025 For the first time in more 80 years, Chinook salmon are swimming in the North Yuba River in Northern California thanks to an innovative wildlife program. Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2025 Nutty, with hints of caramel, it is lifted by a trio of old-school hops – Cascade, Centennial and Chinook. Peter Rowe, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Feb. 2025 The Biggest Salmon Chinook (or king) salmon are the largest of the world’s salmonids. Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 20 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for Chinook

Word History

Etymology

Lower Chehalis (Salishan language of western Washington) c̓inúk, name of a Chinook village

First Known Use

1795, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Chinook was in 1795

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Chinook.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Chinook. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

Chinook

noun
Chi·​nook shə-ˈnu̇k How to pronounce Chinook (audio) chə- How to pronounce Chinook (audio)
plural Chinook or Chinooks
: a member of an Indigenous people of Oregon
also : their language

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