Seminole

Sem·i·nole

noun \ˈse-mə-ˌnōl\

plural Seminoles or Seminole

Definition of SEMINOLE

: a member of any of the groups of American Indians that emigrated to Florida from Georgia and Alabama in the 18th and 19th centuries and that are now located in southern Florida and Oklahoma

Origin of SEMINOLE

Creek simanó·li untamed, wild, alteration of simaló·ni, from American Spanish cimarrón wild

First Known Use: 1771

Rhymes with SEMINOLE

aureole, banderole, bannerol, barcarole, barrel roll, buttonhole, cabriole, camisole, capriole, caracole, carmagnole, coffee roll, croquignole, cubbyhole, decontrol, Demerol, Dover sole, escarole, exit poll, farandole, finger hole, fumarole, girandole, girasole, Grand Guignol, honor roll, innersole, in the hole, Jackson Hole, jelly roll, kaiser roll, lemon sole, meadow vole, methanol, micromole, millimole, monopole, muster roll, on a roll, on the whole, oriole, ostiole, oversoul, ozone hole, petiole, pick-and-roll, pigeonhole, protocol, rabbit hole, rigmarole, rock and roll, totem pole, tracheole, vacuole, water hole

Seminole

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

North American Indian people living mainly in Florida and Oklahoma, U.S. Their language belongs to the Muskogean language stock. The Seminoles split off from the Creek in the later 18th century and settled in northern Florida, where they were joined by Native American, African, and African American individuals who had escaped slavery in the regions to the north. Their name derives from the Creek word simanó-li, meaning “separatist,” or “runaway.” The Seminoles traditionally lived more by hunting and fishing than by agriculture, constructed shelters of thatched roofs supported by poles, and wore tailored hide clothing decorated with brightly coloured stripes. In an effort to stem colonial encroachment, they fought a succession of wars (see Seminole Wars). Seminole descendants numbered about 27,000 in the early 21st century.