mohawk
mohawk Lexical Profile
mohawk Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A hairstyle in which the sides of the head are cleanly shaved or closely cropped, leaving a prominent central strip of longer, often upright hair running from the forehead to the nape of the neck.
"The punk rock guitarist spiked his bright pink mohawk with styling gel before stepping onto the stage."
North American A member of an Indigenous North American people originally inhabiting the Mohawk Valley in upstate New York, forming the easternmost nation of the Iroquois Confederacy.
"The Mohawk historically played a critical role as the 'Keepers of the Eastern Door' within the Haudenosaunee alliance."
North American The distinct Iroquoian language spoken by the Mohawk people in parts of the United States and Canada.
"Extensive immersion programs have been introduced in schools to help preserve and revitalize Mohawk for future generations."
Word Nuance & Usage
When referring to the Indigenous people or their language, the word is strictly capitalized ('Mohawk'), whereas it is commonly lowercased ('mohawk') when referring to the hairstyle.
• Rhymes for mohawk
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from an Algonquian language, likely the Narragansett exonym 'mohowaùuck' meaning 'man-eaters', which was applied to the people by their eastern enemies.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.