Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun An underground or partly underground chamber in a Pueblo village, used by the men especially for ceremonies or councils.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A sacred chamber, wholly or partly underground, in which many of the religious ceremonials of the Pueblo Indians are performed. Also estufa.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A large chamber built under, or in, the houses of a Pueblo village, used as an assembly room in religious rites or as a men's dormitory. It is commonly lighted and entered from an opening in the roof.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A ceremonial underground chamber in a Pueblo village.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Hopi kíva.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Hopi kíva.

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word kiva.

Examples

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.

  • Underground chamber of the Pueblo Indian villages of the southwestern U.S., notable for the murals that decorate its walls.

    A small hole in its floor, the sípapu, serves as the symbolic place of origin of the tribe. Though the kiva's primary purpose is for men's rituals and ceremonies, it is also used for political meetings or casual gatherings.

    June 18, 2007

  • Kiva is also the Finnish word for 'nice'.

    November 9, 2008