Hidatsa

noun

Hi·​dat·​sa hi-ˈdät-sə How to pronounce Hidatsa (audio)
1
plural Hidatsa also Hidatsas : a member of a Siouan-speaking Indigenous people of the Missouri River valley in North Dakota

called also Minitari, Minnetaree

Note: The Hidatsa are federally recognized as part of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation in North Dakota.

2
: the Siouan language of the Hidatsa

Examples of Hidatsa 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.
And in fall 2024, the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation opened the Three Affiliated Tribes National Park in North Dakota, joining the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, who established Frog Bay Tribal National Park in Wisconsin in 2012—the first of its kind. — Latria Graham, AFAR Media, 6 Aug. 2025 The company worked with the indigenous MHA Nation tribes (Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara) on the dire wolf project, and the tribes have expressed a desire to have dire wolves live on their lands in North Dakota. — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 7 Apr. 2025 Wolves became a focus at Colossal after Lamm and James had a meeting with The MHA (Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara) Nation in central North Dakota. — Mike Snider, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025 The Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation has expressed interest in hosting dire wolves on tribal land, and Colossal is studying the feasibility of that proposal. — John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for Hidatsa

Word History

Etymology

Hidatsa hirá·ca, a Hidatsa subgroup

First Known Use

1873, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Hidatsa was in 1873

Browse Nearby Words

hidation
Hidatsa
hidden
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Cite this Entry

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

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More from Merriam-Webster on Hidatsa

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about Hidatsa

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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