Where does “Chicago” come from?

Chicago is an English place name derived from French Checagou, of Native American origin with unknown meaning.

Chicago (English): located on Lake Michigan

Definitions

  1. located on Lake Michigan

Ancestry of “Chicago”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1FrenchChécagou—
2Miamišikaakwathe striped skunk, Mephitis mephitis
3Proto-Algonquianšeka·kwaskunk
4Proto-Algonquianšek-to urinate

Words derived from “Chicago”

Every word from Proto-Algonquian šek- →