demonym

noun

dem·o·nym | \ ˈde-mə-ˌnim

plural demonyms

Definition of demonym

: a word (such as Nevadan or Sooner) used to denote a person who inhabits or is native to a particular place Yet Hoosier, the folksy and ambiguous moniker, has for decades been snubbed by the federal government as the official name for residents of Indiana. Instead, the tongue-twisting "Indianan" - or worse, "Indianian" - has been the preferred demonym.— Katie Mettler Are we Michiganders or Michiganians? The question has long ignited plenty of fierce debate, and there has never been official consensus on our state's official demonym.— Lee DeVito