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Definition of elwha
elwha
/ˈɛl.wə/
El · wha
elwha Lexical Profile
CEFR
C1
Grade
9
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
American A 45-mile-long river on the Olympic Peninsula in the U.S. state of Washington, renowned for the historic, large-scale removal of its dams to restore salmon habitats.
2
American The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, a federally recognized Indigenous Native American nation situated in the Pacific Northwest of the United States.
Example
"The Elwha have lived sustainably on the Olympic Peninsula since time immemorial, maintaining deep cultural ties to the watershed and the returning salmon."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for elwhaWord Origin & Etymology
Derived from the Klallam word 'ʔéʔɬx̣ʷaʔ', which is the traditional indigenous name for the river and the people who have historically resided along its banks in the Pacific Northwest.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Elwha. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 17, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/elwha