Chicago (English)
Where does "Chicago" come from?
The name Chicago originates from the Miami-Illinois word 'šikaakwa,' which refers to wild leeks or the striped skunk. This term traces back to the Proto-Algonquian root '*šeka·kwa,' a word that itself reflects a descriptive history related to the creature's musk. The term traveled through French as 'Chécagou' before finally being adopted into English, making the city's name a linguistic doublet of the word 'skunk'.
Full etymology tree
- Chicago (English), 'A large city, the county seat of Cook County, in northeastern Illinois, United States, located on Lake Michigan.'
- borrowed Chécagou (French)
- borrowed šikaakwa (Miami), 'the striped skunk, Mephitis mephitis'
- inherited *šeka·kwa (Proto-Algonquian), 'skunk'
- compound *šek- (Proto-Algonquian), 'to urinate'
- compound *-a·kw- (Proto-Algonquian), 'bushy-tailed animal (fox?) (compare *wa·kwehsa)'
- inherited *šeka·kwa (Proto-Algonquian), 'skunk'
- borrowed šikaakwa (Miami), 'the striped skunk, Mephitis mephitis'
- borrowed Chécagou (French)
Direct ancestors
Updated June 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris