Ottawas

Ot·ta·wa ¹  (t-w, -wä, -wô)

n. pl. Ottawa or Ot·ta·was

1.

a. A Native American people formerly inhabiting the northern shore of Lake Huron, with later settlements throughout the upper Great Lakes region. Present-day Ottawa populations are located mainly in southern Ontario, northern Michigan, and Oklahoma.

b. A member of this people.

2. The dialect of Ojibwa spoken by the Ottawa.

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[Ojibwa odaawaa.]

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Ot·ta·wa ²  (t-w)

The capital of Canada, in southeast Ontario at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau Canal. It was founded as Bytown during the construction of the Rideau Canal and renamed Ottawa in 1854. Victoria chose it as the capital of the United Provinces of Canada in 1858. In 1867 it became the capital of the newly formed confederation. Population: 840,000.