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Definition of pemmican

pemmican

/ˈpɛm.ɪ.kən/
pem · mi · can
Plural:pemmicans
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pemmican Lexical Profile

pemmican Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

North American A concentrated, high-energy food traditionally prepared by North American Indigenous peoples, consisting of lean, dried meat pounded into a powder and mixed with melted fat, and occasionally dried berries.

Example

"During their grueling Arctic expedition, the explorers relied heavily on daily rations of pemmican for sustained energy and survival in the freezing conditions."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for pemmican

• Nearby Words

pelycosaur
pembina
pembroke
pemmican
pen
penal
penalization

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed from Cree 'pimîhkân', meaning 'manufactured grease', derived from the root 'pimî' meaning 'fat' or 'grease'. It became a staple survival food for European fur traders and Arctic explorers in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Pemmican. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/pemmican
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