Navajo

noun

Na·​va·​jo ˈna-və-ˌhō  ˈnä- 

variants or less commonly Navaho

1

plural Navajo or Navajos also Navaho or Navahos : a member of an Indigenous people of northern New Mexico and Arizona and southern Utah

2

: the language of the Navajo people

Examples of Navajo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Three people are dead after being swept away by floodwaters early Wednesday on the Navajo Nation, authorities in New Mexico said. — CBS News, 17 Sep. 2026

Three people were killed in flash flooding in a New Mexico Navajo Nation community. — Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2026

The three deaths on the Navajo Nation follow flooding just weeks ago at the Grand Canyon, where three hikers were swept away and dozens more were rescued after heavy rain brought torrents of water through Bright Angel Creek. — ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026

The Arizona Department of Public Safety and the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s requests for comment. — Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 10 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Spanish (Apache de) Navajó, literally, Apache of Navajó, from Navajó, area occupied by Navajos, probably from Tewa (Pueblo Indian language of northern New Mexico) navahu·, literally, arroyo with planted fields

First Known Use

1808, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for Navajo

• afterglow
• akimbo
• albino
• aliquot
• allegro
• amigo
• apropos
• audio
• bungalow
• calico
• calypso
• cameo

Kids Definition

Navajo

noun

Na·​va·​jo

variants also Navaho

ˈnav-ə-ˌhō  ˈnäv- 

plural Navajo or Navajos also Navaho or Navahos

: a member of an Indigenous people of northern New Mexico and Arizona