baniwa
|ba-ni-wa|
/bəˈniːwə/
name of an Amazonian indigenous people and their language
Etymology
'Baniwa' originates from the Arawakan language family, specifically from the people's own autonym often recorded as 'Baniwa' (or variant spellings), where the term is used by the group to refer to themselves ('people' or 'our people').
'Baniwa' entered European records (Portuguese/Spanish) in forms such as 'Baniva' or 'Baniua' and was later adopted into English usage as 'Baniwa' to refer to the people and their language.
Initially it referred principally to the group (the people) as a self-name; over time its use broadened in English to refer both to the people and to the language/cultural group.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an indigenous people of the upper Amazon region (notably parts of Brazil, Venezuela and Colombia), also called the Baniwa people.
Many Baniwa communities live along rivers in the upper Amazon basin.
Synonyms
Noun 2
the Arawakan language (or closely related language cluster) spoken by the Baniwa people, sometimes called the Baniwa language.
Researchers documented several dialects of the Baniwa language in the region.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/11 19:22