Nipigon River
/ˈnɪpɪɡən ˈrɪvər/noun
A river in northwestern Ontario, Canada, flowing from Lake Nipigon into Lake Superior.
Did you know?The name is generally connected with Ojibwe place-naming traditions, but popular translations such as “continuous water” should be treated cautiously because the precise original interpretation is disputed.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-European contact
Ojibwe
Animbiigoo-ziibi
“An Ojibwe name associated with the Nipigon River; the precise segmentation and translation are debated.”
17th Century
French
Nipigon
“A European transcription of the Indigenous name used for the region and its major waters.”
18th Century
French
Rivière Nipigon
““Nipigon River,” combining the French word for river with the established place-name.”
19th Century
English
Nipigon River
“The standardized English geographical name for the river in Ontario.”
Modern English
English
Nipigon River
“A major tributary of Lake Superior, approximately 48 kilometres long.”