Anasazi
noun
An·a·sa·zi
ˌä-nə-ˈsä-zē 
plural Anasazi
see usage paragraph below
: a member of a group of prehistoric Indigenous peoples of the canyons of northern Arizona and New Mexico and southwestern Colorado : ancestral puebloan
Usage of Anasazi, Ancestral Pueblo, and Ancestral Puebloan
The English word Anasazi comes from a Navajo word meaning "enemy ancestors." Due to this association, Anasazi is now often considered an inappropriate or disrespectful name for a member of these prehistoric peoples or (when used in the plural) for the peoples referred to as a group. The terms Ancestral Pueblo and Ancestral Puebloan are often used as alternative names for the peoples and for an individual member of these peoples, respectively.
Examples of Anasazi in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Visitors will not be faulted for following up their time at the International Folk Art Museum with a tequila or mezcal flight at the Anasazi Bar & Lounge inside the spectacular Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi hotel in Santa Fe to take the edge off.
—
Chadd Scott, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025
Book now at Half Moon Resort Earn a free night at this RCA-winning hotel in Santa Fe
A 2024 Readers' Choice Awards winner, the Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi is located in Santa Fe, New Mexico, just steps from the town’s historic plaza.
—Paris Wilson, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Dec. 2024
Feel like a local: Check out the Red Pueblo Museum to see Anasazi artifacts.
—Karen Cicero, Parents, 8 Oct. 2024
Interestingly, these events appear to coincide with the start of a major exodus, with the Anasazi people who had lived in the region abandoning their settlements and leaving the area.
—Dan Falk, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Mar. 2024
What adds an element of singularity to the Anasazi Bar and Lounge, however, is the city itself, which harbors strong ties to its Mexican heritage, notably Oaxaca and Jalisco.
—Lauren Mowery, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
For a stay that bridges past and present, rest your head at the 30-year-old Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi, or the 135-year-old Inn of the Turquoise Bear.
—Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Dec. 2023
Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi The entrance to Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi.
—Alexandra Malmed, Vogue, 8 Nov. 2023
The collapse of the Anasazi occurred in a single generation.
—Wade Davis, Rolling Stone, 3 Sep. 2023
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Chadd Scott, Forbes, 2 Jan. 2025
Book now at Half Moon Resort Earn a free night at this RCA-winning hotel in Santa Fe
A 2024 Readers' Choice Awards winner, the Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi is located in Santa Fe, New Mexico, just steps from the town’s historic plaza.
—Paris Wilson, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Dec. 2024
Feel like a local: Check out the Red Pueblo Museum to see Anasazi artifacts.
—Karen Cicero, Parents, 8 Oct. 2024
Interestingly, these events appear to coincide with the start of a major exodus, with the Anasazi people who had lived in the region abandoning their settlements and leaving the area.
—Dan Falk, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Mar. 2024
What adds an element of singularity to the Anasazi Bar and Lounge, however, is the city itself, which harbors strong ties to its Mexican heritage, notably Oaxaca and Jalisco.
—Lauren Mowery, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
For a stay that bridges past and present, rest your head at the 30-year-old Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi, or the 135-year-old Inn of the Turquoise Bear.
—Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Dec. 2023
Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi The entrance to Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi.
—Alexandra Malmed, Vogue, 8 Nov. 2023
The collapse of the Anasazi occurred in a single generation.
—Wade Davis, Rolling Stone, 3 Sep. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Anasazi.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Anasazi. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share