kayak

Where does the word "kayak" come from? It comes from Greenlandic (Kalaallisut) qajaq, passing through Danish before entering English (c. 1750s).

Kayak’s story begins in Greenlandic (Kalaallisut): qajaq meant “small hunting boat.” A sealskin-covered hunting boat used by Greenlandic Inuit. By 1700s, the word had taken hold in Danish as kajak. Inuit hunters built kayaks of sealskin stretched over driftwood or bone frames. It reached English by c. 1750s as kayak. Adopted via Danish contact with Arctic Inuit communities. Today, kayak means a small, narrow boat propelled with a double-bladed paddle.

1. Stage 1 · Greenlandic (Kalaallisut) · pre-contact qajaq "small hunting boat", a sealskin-covered hunting boat used by Greenlandic Inuit.
2. Stage 2 · Danish · 1700s kajak "a small skin-covered boat", Inuit hunters built kayaks of sealskin stretched over driftwood or bone frames.
3. Stage 3 · English · c. 1750s kayak "a small, narrow boat with a covered deck", adopted via Danish contact with Arctic Inuit communities.