Gileño

noun

Gi·​le·​ño

gə̇ˈlān(ˌ)yō

plural Gileño or Gileños

1

: a group of Athapaskan peoples comprising the Chiricahua, Mimbreño, Mogollon, and Warm Spring Apaches of the Gila river headwaters in New Mexico and Arizona

2

: a member of the Gileño peoples

Word History

Etymology

Spanish, from the Gila river + Spanish -eño (suffix added to place names to form names of inhabitants)

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!