The traditional name for indigenous peoples of the Arctic, now considered outdated; modern terms include 'Inuit' and 'Yupik' depending on specific groups and regions.
From French 'esquimaux,' possibly derived from Algonquian 'askimeq' meaning 'eater of raw meat,' though the origin is disputed. The term was widely used until recent decades when indigenous peoples preferred self-identifying names.
The shift from 'Eskimo' to 'Inuit' represents linguistic decolonization—indigenous peoples reclaimed their own names after centuries of Europeans labeling them with potentially disparaging terms, and this pattern is repeating globally as native peoples assert naming rights.
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