Tungus
English
Alternative forms
- Tungoose (dated)
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈtʊŋɡʊs/, /ˈtʊŋɡuːs/
Etymology
From Russian тунгус (tungus), supposedly deriving from donki, a self-designation of certain Siberian groups, or alternatively from a Yakut name for the Evenki. [1]
A controversial theory further connects the word with Chinese 東胡 (“Donghu”, literally “Eastern barbarians”), an ancient people of North China.
Noun
Tungus (plural Tunguses)
- A member of any Tungusic people.
Proper noun
Tungus
- (dated, possibly obsolete) The Evenki language.
References
- New Light on the Origins of the Manchus, Pei Huang, 1990
Anagrams
- unguts