I. noun
also da·co·ta or da·co·tah də̇ˈkōd.ə, -ōtə
( plural dakota or dakotas )
Usage: usually capitalized
Etymology: Dakota (Santee dialect) Dakota, literally, allies
1.
a. : a Siouan people of the northern Mississippi valley commonly called Sioux and divided into an eastern or forest group comprising the Mdewakanton, Wahpeton, Wahpekute, and Sisseton and a western or prairie group comprising the Yankton, Yanktonai, and Teton
b. : a member of such people
2. : the language of the Dakota people
II. adjective
or da·ko·tan -t ə n, -d.ən, -tən
Usage: usually capitalized
Etymology: in sense 1, from Dakota (I) ; in sense 2, from Dakota territory, former region of the United States including No. & So. Dakota, from the Dakota Indians
1. also dacota or dacotah pron at dakota or da·co·tan pron at dakotan : of or relating to the Dakota people or their language
2.
a. : of or relating to the Dakota territory
b. : of or from the state of No. Dakota or the state of So. Dakota : of the kind or style prevalent in No. Dakota or So. Dakota
c. : of, relating to, or constituting a division of the Cretaceous — see geologic time table