Paiute

noun

Pai·​ute ˈpī-ˌyüt 

variants or less commonly Piute

1

plural Paiute or Paiutes also Piute or Piutes : a member of a group of Indigenous peoples originally inhabiting western and southern parts of the U.S. Great Basin

2

: either of the two Uto-Aztecan languages of the Paiute people

Examples of Paiute in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Cottonwood Fire in Utah's Paiute and Beaver counties had spread to about 92,254 acres with 0% containment. — Tristan Maglunog, ABC News, 28 June 2026

Visit the Owens Valley Paiute-Shoshone Cultural Center right in Bishop to learn more about Indigenous life in the region, or drive 19 miles to Lake Sabrina for hiking and kayaking adventures. — Chelsee Lowe, Travel + Leisure, 22 June 2026

Weekly episodes will move The Indigenous Setlist forward with conversations featuring country reggae artist Maoli of the Native Hawaiian community, punk rock band Dead Pioneers of Pyramid Lake Paiute, alt-rock and soul artist Aysanabee of the Sandy Lake First Nation (Oji-Cree), and more. — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 8 June 2026

Navajo, Hopi and San Juan Southern Paiute leaders met with the Bureau of Reclamation and the Interior Department during the Navajo Nation Fair, Yellowhair said. — Debra Utacia Krol, AZCentral.com, 14 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

alteration of Pie-Utaw, alteration of Paiuches, plural, from American Spanish Payuchis Southern Paiutes

First Known Use

1827, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for Paiute

• piute

Kids Definition

Paiute

noun

Pai·​ute ˈpī-ˌ(y)üt 

: a member of an Indigenous people originally of Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and California