umiak

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u·mi·ak

also oo·mi·ak (o͞o′mē-ăk′)

A large open boat used by Yupik and Inuit people, made of skins stretched on a wooden frame, usually propelled by paddles.

[Inuit umiaq.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

umiak

(ˈuːmɪˌæk) or

oomiak

(Nautical Terms) a large open boat made of stretched skins, used by Inuit. Compare kayak

[C18: from Greenland Inuktitut: boat for the use of women]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

u•mi•ak

(ˈu miˌæk)

n.

an open wooden boat covered with skins, used esp. by Eskimos to transport goods and passengers.

[1760–70; < Inuit umiaq women's boat]

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References in periodicals archive ?

Kuukpak and Vihtr'ii Tshik are linked by a water route, which allowed the Kuukpangmiut to access the quarry by boat, and the heavy transport capacity of Inuit umiaks--Alexander Mackenzie refers to umiaks as "their large canoes"--probably enabled bulk procurement of lithic raw material (cf.

Mackenzie inuit lithic raw material procurement in the lower mackenzie valley: the importance of social factors

"Skin boats, umiaks in particular, have always been important for the Inupiaq people.

Oldest known circumpolar umiak

The use of wood whaleboats manufactured in foreign boat-building shops represents a significant change from the traditional Inuit skin-on-frame umiaks and kayaks.

Where in the world are they? The who, what, and where from our international curatorial team

Kaktovik whaling crews set out in their umiaks just after Memorial Day and usually reach their quota of three bowheads within weeks.

Thin line between: for Tom

For example, in the first book, Matt and Emily discover what tundra and umiaks are, and discuss the fact that Iqaluit used to be called Frobisher Bay.

Beware, Pirates!

In Juneau, the Alaska State Museum (admission $5) displays the original head of the Lincoln totem; also on display are bidarkas (kayaks) and umiaks (canoes), traditional boats used by the Aleuts and Inupiaq.

Ashore on a shoestring: economical tips for pioneering passengers in the inside passage

Not that the history and development of canoes, guide boats, kayaks and umiaks (large, skin-covered hunting boats) is all that simple.

The Canoe, a Living Tradition

There were migrating birds, whaling captains and teams afloat in their umiaks, dressed in caribou skins.