Nipigon Bay
/ˈnɪpɪɡɒn beɪ/noun
A bay in northwestern Lake Superior, Ontario, Canada, adjoining the Nipigon River and Lake Nipigon.
Did you know?The name Nipigon is generally traced to an Ojibwe form related to water, although historical spellings and the precise original sense vary among sources.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-European period
Ojibwe
Anishinaabemowin source forms
“Indigenous Ojibwe forms referring to the Nipigon region and its waters; the exact historical form is debated.”
17th–18th Century
French
Nipigon / Nipissin
“Early European records rendered Indigenous names for the lake, river, and surrounding region in several spellings.”
18th Century
English
Nipigon
“English and British colonial maps adopted a spelling close to the French-recorded form.”
19th Century
English
Nipigon Bay
“The geographic name became established for the bay opening into Lake Superior.”
Modern English
English
Nipigon Bay
“The recognized name of the Ontario bay, commonly associated with the Nipigon River and Lake Nipigon.”
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