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Inuksuk

2 stages from Inuktitut to English.

Today it means a stone landmark or cairn built by Inuit and other Arctic peoples, traditionally used for navigation or communication

Where does the word "inuksuk" come from? It comes from Inuktitut inuksuk, adopted directly into English (1900s).

1
Stage 1 of 2
inuksuk
Inuktitut · pre-1800s
"something that acts in the capacity of a human"
combined 'inuk' (person) and a suffix meaning 'substitute', describing a stone figure that acts in place of a human
2
Stage 2 of 2
inuksuk
English · 1900s
"a stone landmark or cairn built by Arctic peoples"
borrowed into English, becoming widely known after being used as the emblem of the 2010 Winter Olympics
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