Navajo

noun

Na·​va·​jo ˈna-və-ˌhō How to pronounce Navajo (audio) ˈnä- How to pronounce Navajo (audio)
variants or less commonly Navaho
1
plural Navajo or Navajos also Navaho or Navahos : a member of an Indigenous people of northern New Mexico and Arizona and southern Utah
2
: the language of the Navajo people

Examples of Navajo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Harris, who spent part of his youth living on Navajo reservations where his mother was a teacher, took a Navajo Nation flag with him on the shuttle to raise awareness about issues faced by Native Americans. Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 9 Feb. 2026 Season 4 focuses on the search for a missing Navajo girl, which takes Leaphorn, Chee and Manuelito from the safety of Navajo Nation to the gritty terrain of 1970s Los Angeles in a race against the clock to save her from an obsessive killer with ties to organized crime. Katie Campione, Deadline, 5 Feb. 2026 The Navajo Nation is the lone exception in Arizona. Chris Sims, IndyStar, 5 Feb. 2026 The Navajo Tribal Police have another case to solve. Lisa De Los Reyes, HollywoodReporter, 5 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for Navajo

Word History

Etymology

Spanish (Apache de) Navajó, literally, Apache of Navajó, from Navajó, area occupied by Navajos, probably from Tewa (Pueblo Indian language of northern New Mexico) navahu·, literally, arroyo with planted fields

First Known Use

1808, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Navajo was in 1808

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Navajo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Navajo. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

Navajo

noun
Na·​va·​jo
variants also Navaho
plural Navajo or Navajos also Navaho or Navahos
: a member of an Indigenous people of northern New Mexico and Arizona

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