Chukchi
/ˈtʃʊk.tʃi/noun
A member of an Indigenous people of northeastern Siberia, or the Chukchi language.
Did you know?Chukchi is largely an external name transmitted through Russian, while the people have also used self-designations including Luoravetlan, meaning roughly “real” or “genuine person.”
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Russian Chukchi
Chukchi
čukči
“A traditional form associated with the Chukchi people; commonly explained as referring to being rich in reindeer, though details of the derivation are debated.”
17th Century
Russian
чукча (čukča)
“Russian designation for a Chukchi person, adopted from a Chukchi-language form.”
18th Century
Russian
чукчи (čukči)
“Russian plural designation for the people.”
18th–19th Century
English
Chukchi
“English borrowing referring to the Indigenous people and their language of northeastern Siberia.”
Modern English
English
Chukchi
“The standard English ethnic and linguistic name, also used in compounds such as Chukchi Sea.”