Willamette
/wɪˈlæmɪt/noun
A river and valley in northwestern Oregon, and the name of Oregon’s principal river system.
Did you know?Early French Canadian trappers recorded the name in forms such as Ouilamet, while English speakers later standardized it as Willamette; the Indigenous source and exact meaning remain uncertain.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-19th Century
Indigenous languages of the lower Columbia region
[Uncertain Indigenous source form]
“An Indigenous name for the river or valley; the original form and meaning are not securely established.”
Early 19th Century
French Canadian usage
Ouilamet
“An early French rendering of the Indigenous place-name.”
Early 19th Century
English usage
Walamet
“An anglicized spelling used for the river and surrounding valley.”
19th Century
English
Willamette
“The standardized English spelling for the river, valley, and later Oregon settlements.”
Modern English
English
Willamette
“The Willamette River and Valley in Oregon.”