Chumash

noun

Chu·​mash ˈchü-ˌmash 

1

plural Chumash : a member of an Indigenous people of southwestern California

2

: the family of languages spoken by the Chumash people

Examples of Chumash in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Visitors can also wander through a 3.5-acre garden that has native plants like dogbane and yerba mansa as well as exhibits about Chumash basketry, redwood canoes, and other traditions. —Carrie Honaker, Travel + Leisure, 20 Apr. 2025

With his wife’s support, Oyelowo advocated filming in the Valley, specifically Stoney Peak in Chatsworth and Burro Flats in the Chumash territory, locations that were pivotal to his character’s life story. —Adelle Platon, VIBE.com, 15 Apr. 2025

Many educational programs will also be developed to engage the public, including a museum by the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. —Alexa Robles-Gil, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Oct. 2024

The extraordinary compound has seen centuries of transformation, from Chumash villages to a bustling cattle ranch, a haven for champion racehorses, and even the world’s largest orchid farm. —Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 20 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

from Tcú-mac, name in a coastal Chumash language for the inhabitants of Santa Rosa Island

First Known Use

1891, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for Chumash

• backlash
• eyelash
• moustache
• mustache
• noncash
• potash
• rehash
• whiplash
• ash
• bash
• brash
• cache