plural Chinook or Chinooks
1
: a member of an American Indian people of the north shore of the Columbia River at its mouth
2
: a Chinookan language of the Chinook and other nearby peoples
3
or less commonly chinook
a
: a warm moist southwest wind of the coast from Oregon northward
b
: a warm dry wind that descends the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains
4
or less commonly chinook
: chinook salmon
5
: any of a rare breed of large, muscular dogs that were developed in New Hampshire in the early 1900s as sled and working dogs and have a yellow, reddish-yellow, or yellowish-brown coat and calm temperament
Among the dogs he [Arthur Treadwell Walden] used for breeding the Chinook were descendants of Admiral Peary's Greenland expedition huskies, along with mastiff-types.—
John Nolan
John NolanExamples of Chinook in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And fall-run Chinook, which drive California’s commercial salmon fishing industry, are no different.
—Ari Plachta, Sacramento Bee, 8 Apr. 2024
The Oregon incident comes on the heels of a mass Chinook salmon smolt die-off in Northern California.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Apr. 2024
As Field & Stream reported in early March, 830,000 young fall Chinook died during release out of another facility, Fall Creek Fish Hatchery in northern California.
—Kris Millgate, Field & Stream, 5 Apr. 2024
That last detail was crucial for the truck's cargo: some 102,000 spring Chinook smolts, or young salmon, that had been raised in a hatchery.
—Bill Chappell, NPR, 4 Apr. 2024
Although state estimates show a modest increase in numbers of fall-run Chinook this year compared with last year, fisheries officials say restrictions are necessary because the population is still struggling.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2024
Juvenile Chinook salmon swim at Iron Fish Gate Hatchery in Siskiyou County, Calif., before their relocation to the Fall Creek facility in 2021.Travis VanZant / California Department of Fish and Wildlife
The fish were released Feb. 26.
—Phil Helsel, NBC News, 5 Mar. 2024
Residents, meanwhile, stick to fish — primarily Chinook salmon.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2024
California wildlife officials report large die-off of salmon fry
The first release of Chinook salmon fry in northern California didn’t go according to plan.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 5 Mar. 2024
Ari Plachta, Sacramento Bee, 8 Apr. 2024
The Oregon incident comes on the heels of a mass Chinook salmon smolt die-off in Northern California.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Apr. 2024
As Field & Stream reported in early March, 830,000 young fall Chinook died during release out of another facility, Fall Creek Fish Hatchery in northern California.
—Kris Millgate, Field & Stream, 5 Apr. 2024
That last detail was crucial for the truck's cargo: some 102,000 spring Chinook smolts, or young salmon, that had been raised in a hatchery.
—Bill Chappell, NPR, 4 Apr. 2024
Although state estimates show a modest increase in numbers of fall-run Chinook this year compared with last year, fisheries officials say restrictions are necessary because the population is still struggling.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2024
Juvenile Chinook salmon swim at Iron Fish Gate Hatchery in Siskiyou County, Calif., before their relocation to the Fall Creek facility in 2021.Travis VanZant / California Department of Fish and Wildlife
The fish were released Feb. 26.
—Phil Helsel, NBC News, 5 Mar. 2024
Residents, meanwhile, stick to fish — primarily Chinook salmon.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2024
California wildlife officials report large die-off of salmon fry
The first release of Chinook salmon fry in northern California didn’t go according to plan.
—Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 5 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Chinook.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Chinook.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Chinook. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
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