Pawnee

noun

Paw·​nee pȯ-ˈnē How to pronounce Pawnee (audio)
pä-
plural Pawnee or Pawnees
: a member of an Indigenous people living in east-central Nebraska during the first half of the 19th century

Note: Current members of the Pawnee live as part of the federally recognized Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma.

Examples of Pawnee in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Pawnee Creek, rich with Native American arrowheads, runs through the property and the central pond features a beach, zipline, floating trampoline, and fishing dock. — Tree Meinch, Midwest Living, 11 July 2026 One of the chiefs, Joseph Pawnee-no-pashe (also known as Governor Joe), quiets him. — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 11 July 2026 Initial reports from Wednesday’s storms include at least two in western Illinois and two in central Illinois, near Charleston and Pawnee Junction. — Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2026 As fans become consumed with the horrors of Widow’s Bay, there’s a version of the show that took place in Pawnee, Indiana. — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 13 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for Pawnee

Word History

Etymology

of Siouan origin; akin to Osage ppáį Pawnee, Omaha ppáðį

First Known Use

1698, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Pawnee was in 1698

Rhymes for Pawnee

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Browse Nearby Words

pawnbroking
Pawnee
pawner
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Cite this Entry

“Pawnee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Pawnee. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

Pawnee

noun
Paw·​nee pȯ-ˈnē How to pronounce Pawnee (audio)
pä-
: a member of an Indigenous people originally of Nebraska and Kansas

More from Merriam-Webster on Pawnee

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about Pawnee

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