wampum

noun

wam·pum ˈwäm-pəm

Synonyms of wampum

: beads of polished shells strung in strands, belts, or sashes and used by North American Indigenous people as money, ceremonial pledges, and ornaments

dated, informal + sometimes offensive : money

Examples of wampum in a Sentence

made some real wampum on that last business deal

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.

Similar stories played out with other forms of money, such as wampum beads. — Dave Birnbaum, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Some of their gear—a pair of shoes, a VHF radio, a wampum sash worth several thousand dollars—now resides on the canal’s bottom. — Ben McGrath, The New Yorker, 3 July 2023 During their visit, they were shown some objects in the collection, including the Inuit kayak, wampum belts, war clubs and masks, and asked for them to be returned. — NPR, 15 Nov. 2025 No one wanted to stand behind the commanding warriors, draped in blankets and furs, brass hoops in their earlobes, medals and wampum on their strong chests, silver armbands glinting in the light. — Literary Hub, 26 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for wampum

Word History

Etymology

short for wampumpeag

First Known Use

1636, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of wampum was in 1636

See more words from the same year

Browse Nearby Words

wampish

wampum

wampum belt

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

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

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Kids Definition

wampum

noun

wam·pum ˈwäm-pəm

: beads of polished shells formerly used by North American Indigenous peoples as money and ornaments

informal : money sense 1

—used especially in the past

Etymology

from wamponpeag, a word in a North American Indigenous language literally meaning "white strings"

wampum

noun

Synonyms of wampum

Examples of wampum in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

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