wapiti

Where does the word "wapiti" come from? It comes from Shawnee/Cree waapiti, and was adopted directly into English (1810s).

Wapiti’s story begins in Shawnee/Cree: waapiti meant “white rump, the North American elk.” Literally 'white rump', describing the elk's pale rear patch. It reached English by 1810s as wapiti. Shawnee 'white rump'; the naturalist Benjamin Smith Barton promoted the name in 1806. Today, wapiti means the North American elk, a large deer species with impressive antlers.

1. Stage 1 · Shawnee/Cree · pre-1800s waapiti "white rump, the North American elk", literally 'white rump', describing the elk's pale rear patch.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1810s wapiti "the North American elk", Shawnee 'white rump'; the naturalist Benjamin Smith Barton promoted the name in 1806.