Apache

noun

ə-ˈpa-chē 

in sense 3

ə-ˈpash 

plural Apache or Apaches ə-ˈpa-chēz 

-ˈpash,

-ˈpa-shəz

1

: a member of a group of Indigenous peoples of the southwestern U.S.

2

: any of the Athabascan languages of the Apache people

3

not capitalized [French, from Apache Apache Indian]

a

: a member of a gang of criminals especially in Paris

b

: ruffian

Apachean

ə-ˈpa-chē-ən 

adjective or noun

Examples of Apache in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Related Content Green Energy Depends on Copper. 40 Billion Pounds Are Under an Apache Holy Site Lily Gladstone Is Seizing the Moment — and Making History ‘Echo’ Is One of Marvel’s Best TV Shows in Years. —Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 8 Mar. 2025

When cutting-edge models are released under MIT, Apache and other permissive licenses, access to state-of-the-art AI is no longer restricted to the biggest tech giants. —Vandana Rana, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025

Gabby Whitney is Mexican with an Apache background. —Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 5 Mar. 2025

Heinrich posted on Facebook last month a report that a member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe was stopped by an ICE agent, approached in Spanish and asked to show a U.S. passport. —Deborah Barfield Berry, USA TODAY, 26 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

American Spanish, perhaps from Zuni ʔa·paču Navajo, Apachean

First Known Use

1703, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for Apache

• catchy
• patchy
• scratchy
• malachi

Kids Definition

Apache

noun

ə-ˈpach-ē 

plural Apache or Apaches

: a member of a group of Indigenous peoples of the southwestern U.S.

also : any of the languages of the Apache people