kinnikinnick

noun

kin·​ni·​kin·​nick
ˌki-ni-kə-ˈnik,
ˈki-ni-kə-ˌnik How to pronounce kinnikinnick (audio)
1
: a mixture of dried leaves and bark and sometimes tobacco smoked by the Indians and pioneers especially in the Ohio valley
2
: a plant (such as a sumac or dogwood) used in kinnikinnick
especially : bearberry

Examples of kinnikinnick 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.
Also known by what’s surely a Balderdash word (kinnikinnick), the bearberry plant is one of nature’s most potent skin brighteners. Lexi Novak, Allure, 26 June 2017

Word History

Etymology

of Algonquian origin; akin to Massachusett kinukkinuk mixture

First Known Use

1799, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of kinnikinnick was in 1799

Dictionary Entries Near kinnikinnick

Cite this Entry

“Kinnikinnick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kinnikinnick. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on kinnikinnick

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!