Inukshuk
/ˈɪnʊkʃʊk/noun
A structure of stacked stones built by Inuit peoples as a landmark, marker, or guide.
Did you know?In Inuktitut, the root behind inukshuk is tied to making something that stands in the place or likeness of a person, so these stone forms were practical signs long before they became symbols.
Etymological Timeline
Inuktitut
Inuit
inuk
“person; human being”
Inuktitut
Inuit
-shuk / -suk
“something that acts as or substitutes for”
Inuktitut
Inuit
inuksuk
“something that acts in the place of a person; a human marker”
Late 20th Century
English
inukshuk
“a stacked-stone Inuit landmark or marker”
Modern English
English
inukshuk
“a stone structure used as a guide, marker, or symbol of Inuit culture”