Wichita

English

Etymology

Uncertain. Probably from Creek we-chate (“red water”), referring to We-chate hatchee (Red Water River, or Red River of the South).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈwɪt͡ʃɪtɔː/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Noun

Wichita (plural Wichitas or Wichita)

1. A member of a tribe of Native Americans, most populous in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Derived terms

• Wichita County
• Wichita Falls

Proper noun

Wichita

1. Their Caddoan language, which is now extinct.
2. A large city, the county seat of Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States; the largest city in Kansas.
   • 1966, Allen Ginsberg, Wichita Vortex Sutra:

     Future speeding on swift wheels / straight to the heart of Wichita!

   • 1994, “True Dreams of Wichita”, in Ruby Vroom, performed by Soul Coughing:

     I'm half sick on the drinks you mixed / Through your / True dreams / Of Wichita

Further reading

• ISO 639-3 code wic (SIL)
• Ethnologue entry for Wichita, wic ⁠