Puebloan

1 of 2

noun

Pueb·​lo·​an ˈpwe-blə-wən 

pü-ˈe-, 

pyü-

plural Puebloans

1

: a member of a group of Indigenous peoples of the southwestern U.S. : pueblo

… Tewa and other Puebloans knew they were descended from the people who built Mesa Verde's cliff dwellings. Their oral histories told them so.

—Krista Langlois

2

: ancestral puebloan

Warfare was common around A.D. 1200, and cliff dwellings provided safety and security to Puebloans.

—Joe Fox et al.

Puebloan

2 of 2

adjective

1

: of, relating to, or being the Pueblos (see pueblo sense 2)

modern Puebloan peoples/culture/art

2

: of, relating to, or being the Ancestral Puebloans

He also had a fascination with ancient civilizations, particularly the Puebloan people of the American Southwest.

—John Branch

Examples of Puebloan in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Continue south to Puerco Pueblo and Newspaper Rock for a fascinating look at hundreds of petroglyphs left by the Puebloan people. — Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 3 May 2026

Native American oral histories refer to gambling frequently, said Robert Wiener, a postdoctoral fellow at Dartmouth University who has studied gambling and religion at Chaco Canyon in New Mexico, an ancient Puebloan center. — Evan Bush, NBC news, 3 Apr. 2026

The canyon, which is filled with ancient Puebloan archeological sites, is a deeply important place for both Navajo (Diné) and Hopi people today. — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 18 Mar. 2026

Located in downtown Santa Fe, the site was established by the Spanish in the early 17th century and is renowned for its Puebloan architecture. — Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 16 Jan. 2026

Inspired by ancient Puebloan architecture, the 70-foot stone structure is one of the park’s highest accessible viewpoints, with just 85 steps leading to the top. — Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 17 Oct. 2025

Chaco Culture National Historical Park, New Mexico This UNESCO World Heritage Site features ancient Puebloan structures aligned with solar events like Casa Rinconada. — Emese MacZko, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025

Hopi, Navajo, Zuni and various Puebloan peoples have longstanding connections to the land as a vital part of their heritage and spiritual practices. — Tiffany Acosta, The Arizona Republic, 9 July 2024

Enjoy Mary Colter’s iconic Desert View Watchtower, which was inspired by ancestral Puebloan architecture and features murals by Hopi artist Fred Kabotie, at the park’s far-eastern edge. — Emily Pennington, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1883, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1905, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing Puebloan

• Ancestral Puebloan