Siouan

noun

Siou·​an ˈsü-ən How to pronounce Siouan (audio)
1
: a family of languages spoken by Indigenous peoples of central and southeastern North America
2
plural Siouan : a member of any of the peoples speaking Siouan languages

Examples of Siouan 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.
The slender vessel was recovered in 2023 in partnership with the Waccamaw Siouan Tribe. — Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 July 2025 Despite violent displacement and enslavement of the Algonquian, Iroquian, and Siouan-speaking Indigenous cultural groups throughout the state by white settlers, their descendants still live in Virginia today. — Elizabeth Alexander, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 July 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1885, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Siouan was in 1885

Rhymes for Siouan

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Browse Nearby Words

Sion
Siouan
Sioux
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Cite this Entry

“Siouan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Siouan. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

Siouan

noun
Siou·​an ˈsü-ən How to pronounce Siouan (audio)
1
: an Indigenous language stock of central and southeastern North America
2
: a member of any of the Indigenous peoples speaking Siouan languages
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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