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
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His poems employ numbers significant to Dine (Navajo) thought and ways of life. Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 29 Mar. 2026 Jaynie Parrish, founder of the Arizona Native Vote project, started planning a protest for her tiny town of Kayenta, on the Navajo Nation in northern Arizona, only earlier this week. Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2026 The Navajo Nation and The National Park Service facilitated filming in the real archaeological locations of Canyon de Chelly and across the Four Corners region. Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 18 Mar. 2026 Our heroes from the Navajo Tribal Police cross paths with the FBI. Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Mar. 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

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Cite this Entry

“Navajo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Navajo. Accessed 1 Apr. 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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