Mohave
/moʊˈhɑːvi/noun
A Native American people of the lower Colorado River region; also the name of their language and, in English, a desert and county named for them.
Did you know?The English form Mohave reflects a Spanish spelling of the people’s self-name, and the more common modern tribal name Mojave comes from the same source.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Columbian
Chemehuevi/Mohave
aha macave
“Self-name of the Mohave people, traditionally interpreted as 'along the water' or 'people by the water'.”
16th-18th Century
Spanish
Mojave
“Spanish rendering of the tribal name encountered in the lower Colorado River region.”
18th-19th Century
English
Mohave
“English spelling variant used for the people, their language, and place names.”
Modern English
English
Mohave
“A standard English form referring to the Mohave people, language, and related place names.”