Native American Placenames of the United States

The most comprehensive authority on placenames of American Indian origin

American Indian words define the North American landscape. This volume combines historical research and linguistic fieldwork with Native speakers from across the United States to present the first comprehensive, up-to-date scholarly dictionary of American placenames derived from Native languages.

Accomplished linguist William Bright assembled a team of twelve editorial consultants―experts in Native American languages―and many other contributors to prepare this lexicon of eleven thousand placenames along with their etymologies. Bright’s introduction explains his methodology and the contents of each entry. New data from leading scholars makes this volume an invaluable reference for students of American Indian culture, folklore, and local history.