Definition of demonym
plural demonyms
: 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
