Apaches
|a-pach-es|
/əˈpætʃɪz/
(Apache)
Southwestern Native American people
Etymology
'Apache' originates from Spanish, specifically the word 'apache', probably borrowed from a Zuni (or related Puebloan) word such as 'apachu' meaning 'enemy'.
'Apache' was used by Spanish speakers to refer to groups in the Southwest and was adopted into English in the 19th century as 'Apache'.
Initially it meant 'enemy' (in the original Zuni/Spanish sense), but over time it became an ethnonym for the peoples now known as the Apache and later extended to other uses (e.g., the AH-64 Apache helicopter, software names).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural of 'Apache': members of the Apache peoples — several culturally related Native American tribes of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.
Apaches resisted settlement in their traditional homelands.
Synonyms
Noun 2
(historical) Members of violent street gangs or ruffians in early 20th-century Paris, often referred to in newspapers as 'Apaches'.
The newspapers described the brawl as an outbreak of Apaches in the district.
Synonyms
Noun 3
plural of 'Apache' (capitalized): AH-64 Apache attack helicopters used by several armed forces.
The squadron deployed three Apaches to support the operation.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/01 19:21