umatilla
umatilla Lexical Profile
• noun
American A city in Umatilla County, Oregon, located along the Columbia River near the mouth of the Umatilla River.
"We stopped in Umatilla to buy provisions before continuing our road trip along the scenic Columbia River Gorge."
American A member of a Native American people traditionally inhabiting the Columbia River Plateau region of northeastern Oregon and southeastern Washington.
"The Umatilla have a rich cultural heritage deeply tied to the Columbia River basin and its historical salmon runs."
American The Sahaptian language traditionally spoken by the Umatilla people.
"Community leaders have initiated several educational programs aimed at revitalizing Umatilla and teaching it to younger generations."
• Rhymes for umatilla
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from the Sahaptian word 'ímatalam', the indigenous name for the village situated at the mouth of the Umatilla River. It is traditionally interpreted to mean 'water rippling over sand' or 'lots of rocks'.