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

The Los Angeles area is home to to many Indigenous groups, including the Chumash and Tongva, whose people populated the region, dotting it with villages, camps, and homes. —Ian Rose, JSTOR Daily, 23 July 2025

The Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary, off California’s rugged Central Coast, represents nearly all of the newly conserved waters. —Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2025

The sprawling hotel sits atop the former Chumash village of Hel’apunitse at the mouth of Tecolote Canyon, withHaskell's Beach, a renowned surf break, below it. —Carole Dixon, Travel + Leisure, 18 June 2025

While the human presence on the islands by the Chumash Indians dates back some 13,000 years, Santa Cruz provided grazing for both cattle and sheep in more recent history. —Paul Bersebach, Oc Register, 4 June 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