tupilak

See also: Tupilak

English

carved representation of a monster

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Greenlandic tupilak or Inuktitut ᑐᐱᓚᒃ (topilak), ᑐᐱᓚᖅ (topilaq).

Noun

tupilak (plural tupilaks or tupilat)

  1. (Inuit mythology) A monster (either invisible or having a physical form constructed from animal bones, sinew, etc) created in secret by a shaman and sent into the sea to seek and kill a specific enemy.
  2. A (small) representation of such a monster, often carved from whale bone.

See also


Danish

Etymology

Borrowed from Greenlandic tupilak.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [tˢupʰiˈlɑɡ̊], [tˢub̥iˈlɑɡ̊]

Noun

tupilak

  1. tupilak (statuette)
  2. tupilak (creature)

Declension

Greenlandic

Etymology

From Proto-Inuit *tupǝ-ɣi- (“be surprised at, demon”), from Proto-Eskimo *tupǝ-kǝ- (“be surprised, excited”). Compare tupigaa (“is surprised by him/her or it”), and tupigusuppoq (“is surprised”).

Pronunciation

  • (Nuuk) IPA(key): /tupilak/, [tʊ.pɪ.lək]

Noun

tupilak (plural tupilaat)

  1. tupilak (statuette)
  2. tupilak (creature)

Declension

Descendants

  • Danish: tupilak
  • English: tupilak (possibly)

References

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