athabasca
|Ath-a-bas-ca|
/ˌæθəˈbæskə/
place of reeds / reedy waters
Etymology
'Athabasca' originates from Cree, specifically the word 'ātapaskāw', where 'ātapaskāw' meant 'where there are reeds'.
'Athabasca' changed from the Cree word 'ātapaskāw' and was adopted into Canadian English place names (via early map/settler usage), becoming the modern proper name 'Athabasca'.
Initially, it meant 'where there are reeds' (a descriptive indigenous place-name); over time it evolved into the proper name for a river, a lake, a town, and related regions/resources.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a town in northern Alberta, Canada, located on the Athabasca River.
Athabasca is a small town in northern Alberta.
Noun 2
a river in Alberta, Canada (the Athabasca River) that flows north into Lake Athabasca.
The Athabasca flows north across Alberta into Lake Athabasca.
Noun 3
a large lake on the border of Alberta and Saskatchewan, Canada (Lake Athabasca).
Lake Athabasca is known for its fishing and wetlands.
Noun 4
the Athabasca oil sands region in Alberta, or the oil sands deposit itself (often called 'Athabasca' in industry contexts).
Athabasca contains one of the largest deposits of oil sands in the world.
Last updated: 2025/11/10 08:54