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Paleo-Indian

noun

Pa·​leo-In·​di·​an ˌpā-lē-ō-ˈin-dē-ən How to pronounce Paleo-Indian (audio)
especially British ˌpa-
: one of the early American hunting people of Asian origin extant in the Late Pleistocene
Paleo-Indian adjective

Examples of Paleo-Indian 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.
Colorado is rich with prehistoric artifacts and culture stemming from the Paleo-Indian people of the southwest United States. Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 10 Nov. 2025 At the Gault Site, north of Austin, archaeologists led by Michael Collins unearthed not only an enormous quantity of Clovis-era artifacts, but also pre-Clovis evidence that pushes the dating of Paleo-Indian arrival in Central Texas back to perhaps 20,000 years ago. Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

paleo- + indian

First Known Use

1940, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Paleo-Indian was in 1940

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Cite this Entry

“Paleo-Indian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Paleo-Indian. Accessed 28 Nov. 2025.

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