chinook

Chinook is a term with several distinct meanings in North American contexts. In meteorology, a chinook is a warm, dry wind that descends on the leeward side of mountain ranges, especially in the Pacific Northwest. These winds quickly raise temperatures and can accelerate snowmelt as air descends and compresses.

Chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, is the largest species of Pacific salmon. It ranges along the North Pacific from Alaska to California and migrates between the ocean and rivers to spawn. It is highly valued commercially and culturally, and is also called king salmon.

The Chinook people, or Chinookan peoples, are Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest, traditionally living along the lower Columbia River and its tributaries. They include several bands and spoke various Chinookan languages. Pre-contact economies depended on salmon fishing and cedar canoe culture; today they are organized into federally recognized tribes and communities.

Chinook Jargon was a pidgin trade language that developed in the Pacific Northwest in the 19th century from elements of Chinookan, English, French, and other languages. It served as a lingua franca among diverse groups, especially in frontier trade and maritime settings, but has fallen out of common use.

CH-47 Chinook is a heavy-lift helicopter developed by Boeing Vertol and operated by many militaries and civilian operators. It features tandem rotor design, enabling long cargo loads and operations in diverse environments. It entered service in the 1960s and remains in wide use.