DCHP-1 Online

Husky Various early spellings. [abbrev. of some early variant of Eskimo, q.v.; see 1743 quote; cf. huskimaw] North

• 1 n. Slang, Often Derog. a member of a large group of North American aborigines inhabiting the Arctic and northern coastal areas from Greenland to Siberia.

  See also: Eskimo (def. 1)  

  • 1743  (1949)  [Among'st the Northward Indians, and Ehuskemay's they have neither of these beasts.]
  • 1830  (1963)  . . . there was a cry that the river was full of Hoskies (Esquimaux); I went to the landing place and saw six kyaks and two large skin boats full of people.
  • 1891  He personally knew only by hearsay received information that the Eskimos, by whalers called "Huskies," lived as far south as St. Lawrence Bay.
  • 1923  But one of the Eskimo lads replied: "Some of the huskies"--he did not hesitate to use the term--"live so far from everybody that they have never heard of God."
  • 1952  These sky pilots . . . smash up the Huskies' religion, then they feed 'em a damn great Book we've been arguing and fighting over for about two thousand years.

• 2 n. the Eskimo language.

  See also: Eskimo (def. 2)  

  • 1864  Carl Petersen no speak Husky. . . .
  • 1949  "Alapah!" I would agree and hug my shoulders even though the day promised to be hot, and the old man would then rattle off some more "Husky," grinning and chuckling with delight.