German word

Indianer

Pronunciation

IPA/ɪnˈdi̯aːnɐ/

Meaning

  • masculine nounnative American

Example

In vielen Regionen kämpfen Indianer für ihre Rechte.

In many regions, Native Americans are fighting for their rights.

Illustration for Indianer (native American)

More examples

Viele Archive bewahren Dokumente zur Geschichte der Indianer.

Many archives preserve documents about the history of Native Americans.

Core concept

A historical umbrella term covers Indigenous people from many different American cultures as though they formed one community.

Common phrases

  • Identität der Indianer

    identity of Native Americans

  • Geschichte der Indianer

    history of Native Americans

  • Sprachen der Indianer

    languages of Native Americans

Similar words

Ureinwohner: The original inhabitants of a particular region or country.
Indigene Völker: Indigenous peoples whose communities existed in a region before colonization.
Indigene: People or groups native to the land where they live.
Stamm: A small community connected by common ancestry, traditions, and social ties.

Definition in German

Bezeichnung, die historisch zur Benennung der indigenen Bevölkerung Amerikas diente und in vielen Kontexten heute als veraltet oder problematisch gilt.

Word origin

The word Indianer arose in German from the European designation for people wrongly believed to be from India rather than from a shared Indigenous self-designation.

Usage tips

  • In historical discussion or quotations, Indianer can be retained with context, while current neutral wording usually names Indigenous peoples or a specific community.

Related words

  • Indianerbildimage of Native Americansnoun
  • indianischNative Americanadjective

Word lists with this word