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Definition of patuxent
patuxent
/pəˈtʌk.sənt/
Pa · tux · ent
Plural:Patuxents
patuxent Lexical Profile
CEFR
C2
Grade
9
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
American A major river in the United States that flows southeast entirely within the state of Maryland and empties into the Chesapeake Bay.
2
American A historic Algonquian-speaking Native American people who originally inhabited the region along the Patuxent River in present-day Maryland.
Example
"Early European colonists establishing settlements in Maryland interacted extensively with the Patuxent people during the 17th century."
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from an Algonquian language spoken by the indigenous peoples of the Maryland region. The name is traditionally believed to mean 'at the little falls' or 'where the waters meet.'
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Patuxent. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/patuxent