: deity and master of bears in Inuit religion

Word History

Etymology

Inuktitut nanuq "polar bear"

First Known Use

1927, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Nanook was in 1927

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nanook.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Nanook. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

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