# Cheyenne

/ʃaɪˈɛn/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cheyenne
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. the people

noun · CEFR B2

a member of a Native American group originally from the Great Plains area of North America.

For teachers: a member of an indigenous Algonquian-speaking people of the Great Plains.

- The Cheyenne were known for their skilled horse riding and buffalo hunting.
- Historical accounts detail the complex social structures and nomadic lifestyle of the Cheyenne during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

### 2. the language

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the language spoken by the Cheyenne people.

For teachers: an Algonquian language spoken primarily in present-day Montana and Oklahoma.

- Some schools in Montana are working to help children learn Cheyenne.
- Linguists have studied Cheyenne for its complex verbal morphology and unique pitch accent system.

### 3. the city

noun · CEFR B2 · American English

the capital city of the U.S. state of Wyoming.

For teachers: the capital and most populous city of the state of Wyoming, United States.

- We drove through Cheyenne on our way to the national park.
- Cheyenne serves as a major economic hub for the region, hosting the annual Frontier Days festival which attracts thousands of visitors.

### 4. a given name

noun · CEFR B2 · American English

a first name for a person, used for both girls and boys.

For teachers: a given name of modern American origin, derived from the name of the indigenous people.

- My friend Cheyenne is starting her new job next week.
- The name Cheyenne gained significant popularity in the United States during the late twentieth century as a unisex given name.

## Examples

- The Cheyenne people have a rich history in the Great Plains.
- Historians study the migration patterns of the Cheyenne from the Great Lakes region to the western plains.
- The Cheyenne Nation is composed of two unified tribes, the Só'taeo'o and the Tsétsêhéstâhese, who maintain a distinct cultural identity through their language and traditional ceremonies.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.