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Manitou

3 stages from Proto-Algonquian to English.

Today it means a spiritual force or being central to Algonquian traditional religion, ranging from minor spirits to the 'Great Spirit'

Where does the word "manitou" come from? It comes from Proto-Algonquian manetowa, passing through French before entering English (1670s-1800s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
manetowa
Proto-Algonquian · pre-1600s
"spirit, sacred power"
named the spiritual force or power present in people, animals, and places
2
Stage 2 of 3
manitou
French · 1670s
"a spirit or divine power"
recorded by French missionaries and traders among Great Lakes Algonquian peoples
3
Stage 3 of 3
manitou
English · 1670s-1800s
"a spiritual force or being in Algonquian belief"
borrowed from French accounts of Great Lakes indigenous religion
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