Munsee
/ˈmʌn.si/noun
A member of an Indigenous Lenape people and the Eastern Munsee variety of the Lenape language.
Did you know?Munsee is not merely an ethnic label: it also names an Eastern Algonquian language historically spoken by Munsee communities in the Delaware River region and Ontario.
Etymological Timeline
Before European contact
Munsee/Lenape
Minsi
“An Indigenous name associated with the Munsee people; traditionally interpreted as referring to people of a stony or rocky country.”
17th Century
Dutch/English records
Minsi
“The form used in colonial records for the Munsee division of the Lenape peoples.”
18th Century
English
Munsee
“An English-recorded form of Minsi, used for the people and their language.”
18th–19th Century
English
Minisink
“A related regional name, referring to the Munsee homeland and communities around the upper Delaware River.”
Modern English
English
Munsee
“The established name for the people, their historical homeland, and the Munsee language variety.”