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 area is important to many tribes, including the Timbisha Shoshone and the Pahrump band of the Southern Paiute. — Literary Hub, 21 July 2026

The local Paiute tribes, expert with horses, have offered their services but were turned down. — Steve Searles, Mercury News, 8 July 2026

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

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