wampum
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wam·pum
(wŏm′pəm, wôm′-)n.
1. Small cylindrical beads made from polished shells and fashioned into strings or belts, formerly used by certain Native American peoples as currency and jewelry or for ceremonial exchanges between groups. Also called peag.
2. Informal Money.
[Short for wampumpeag.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
wampum
(ˈwɒmpəm)n
Also called: wampumpeag, peag or peage 1. (Anthropology & Ethnology) (formerly) money used by North American Indians, made of cylindrical shells strung or woven together, esp white shells rather than the more valuable black or purple ones
2. (Currencies) (formerly) money used by North American Indians, made of cylindrical shells strung or woven together, esp white shells rather than the more valuable black or purple ones
3. (Banking & Finance) informal US and Canadian money or wealth
[C17: short for wampumpeag, from Narraganset wampompeag, from wampan light + api string + -ag plural suffix]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
wam•pum
(ˈwɒm pəm, ˈwɔm-)n.
1. cylindrical beads made from shells, pierced and strung, used by North American Indians as a medium of exchange, for ornaments, and for ceremonial and spiritual purposes.
2. Informal. money.
[1630–40; short for wampumpeag]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Noun | 1. | wampum - informal terms for money boodle, clams, dinero, gelt, kale, lettuce, lolly, lucre, moolah, pelf, shekels, simoleons, loot, dough, bread, cabbage, sugar, scratch money - the most common medium of exchange; functions as legal tender; "we tried to collect the money he owed us" |
2. | wampum - small cylindrical beads made from polished shells and fashioned into strings or belts; used by certain Native American peoples as jewelry or currency beads, string of beads - several beads threaded together on a string |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
wampum
nounThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.