merrimack
merrimack Lexical Profile
• noun
American A major river in the Northeastern United States, flowing southward from New Hampshire and northeastward across Massachusetts before emptying into the Atlantic Ocean, historically renowned for powering the region's 19th-century textile mills.
"The industrial cities of Lowell and Lawrence were built along the Merrimack to harness its powerful current for their massive textile factories."
American A 19th-century United States Navy frigate famous for its role in the American Civil War; after being captured and converted into an ironclad by the Confederacy (renamed CSS Virginia), it famously engaged the USS Monitor.
"The Battle of Hampton Roads is famously remembered as the revolutionary naval clash between the ironclads Monitor and Merrimack."
Word Nuance & Usage
When referring to the historic Civil War vessel, it is correctly spelled 'Merrimack', although the alternative spelling 'Merrimac' appears frequently in older historical texts.
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from a Native American Algonquian term (likely Pennacook or Abenaki 'merruwakamak' or 'merrimak'), generally translated as 'swift water place' or 'place of strong current'.