Choctaw
/ˈtʃɒk.tɔː/noun
A Native American people of the southeastern United States; also the name of their Muskogean language.
Did you know?The common claim that Choctaw means “river people” is not securely established by historical linguistics; the name’s true source is uncertain, which is exactly why it has attracted so many later stories.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Contact Era
Choctaw
Chahta
“The self-name of the Choctaw people”
17th Century
English
Chactaw / Choctaw
“An English spelling for the people encountered in the Southeast”
18th Century
French
Chactas / Choctas
“French colonial spellings referring to the Choctaw people”
Modern English
English
Choctaw
“The standardized English name for the people and their language”