Search Dictionary
Definition of santee

santee

/sænˈtiː/
san · tee

Plural:Santees
JUMP TO:

santee Lexical Profile

• noun

1

North American A member of the Eastern Dakota division of the Great Sioux Nation, a Native American people historically residing in the Western Great Lakes region, Minnesota, and the Dakotas.

Example

"The Santee people developed a rich cultural heritage centered around the woodlands and plains of the American Midwest."


2

American A major river in South Carolina that flows southeast into the Atlantic Ocean, formed by the confluence of the Wateree and Congaree rivers.


3

American A suburban city located in San Diego County, California.

Word Nuance & Usage

The term can refer confusingly to two historically distinct entities: the Eastern Dakota (Santee Sioux) people of the Midwest, and an unrelated historical tribe in South Carolina that gave its name to the Santee River.

• Rhymes for santee

Word Origin & Etymology

Derived from the Dakota word 'Isáŋyathi', meaning 'those who camp at the knife,' referring to a lake where they gathered stones for knives. The South Carolina river and city name comes independently from a Siouan-speaking tribe of the southeast.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020

Cite this Entry


Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Santee. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/santee
Built for writers, students, and competitive word game players, Wordmom combines an uncluttered English dictionary and thesaurus with fast, pattern-based word finders so you can verify definitions, synonyms, and high-scoring tile plays in one place.
Dictionary & Reference
© 2016–2026 Wordmom Network. All rights reserved. Made with for word lovers everywhere.
Disclaimer: SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A. and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. Words With Friends® is a registered trademark of Zynga Inc. Wordle® is a registered trademark of The New York Times Company. Other referenced game titles and tournament lexicon codes (including NASPA NWL and WESPA/HarperCollins CSW) are trademarks of their respective owners. Wordmom is an independent reference utility for educational and entertainment purposes and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Hasbro, Mattel, Spear, Zynga, The New York Times Company, NASPA, WESPA, or HarperCollins Publishers. All game names are referenced strictly under nominative fair use to indicate compatibility.