DCHP-3

Abegweit

DCHP-3.1 (Jun 2026)

Spelling variants:
"Abegweit", Abegweet, Epagwait, Epaigwit, Epaygooyat, Epayguit

This term is not considered an authentic spelling of the original Mi’kmaq name for Prince Edward Island, Epekwitk.
1n. — Indigenous, especially Prince Edward Island

an anglicized Mi'kmaq name for Prince Edward Island.

Type: 1. Origin — Abegweit is not considered the standardized spelling of the name for Prince Edward Island in the Mi’kmaq language. See Epekwitk meaning 1 for full word story.

However, the term continues to be a Canadianism by virtue of its higher frequency in Canada (see Chart 1).

In DPEIE, s.v. "Abegweit" is defined as "Prince Edward Island (a Micmac Indian name)." Other spellings include "Abegweet, Epagwait, Epaigwit, Epaygooyat."

Quotations

1855
The hour is fixed, the departure certain; she is glad to leave Epaigwit.
1878
"ABEGWEET, or the Home on the Wave," is the name by which Prince Edward Island is known to the Micmacs.
1892
At this time it was inhabited by the Micmacs, who gave it the name of Epayguit, or, as it is better spelled, Abegweit, which signifies "Anchored on the Wave."
1893
The Attractions of Beautiful Abegweit
1901
There were other Islanders, whom we should have had with us that night, but who were unable to be present; and to show that there is no dearth out here of representatives of the Province in the sea—fair Abegweit […].
1921
The Abenaki and Micmac Indians who inhabited Prince Edward Island before its discovery by Europeans called it Abegweit (resting on the wave), a beautiful and descriptive name.
1938
The Story of Old Abegweit ("Abegweit", meaning Cradle-on-the-Sea, was the Indian name for Prince Edward Island).
1962
Abegweit is the Micmac Indian name for Prince Edward Island; tradition says it was given ... by the Micmacs' mighty god Glooscap. It means "resting place."
1984
My uncle had been planning to take a trip by canoe from our home in Unama'kik (OON-ah-mah-geeg) to visit a famous saqamaw in Epekwitk (eh-BEH-gweetk), a trip he had put off because of first moose feast.
1987
The definition "Abegweit is the Indian word for Northumberland Strait" is a poor one (P.E.I. Fixed Link First Suggested A Century Ago - Dec. 3). A maritimer could have informed your reporter that Abegweit is the Indian phrase for "cradled on the waves," appropriately bestowed on the Island (now Prince Edward Island).
2008
Abbie and Eddie are the brother and sister mascot ambassadors for the 2009 Canada Games. [...] Abbie takes her name from Abegweit, a Mi'kmaq word for Prince Edward Island meaning 'cradle on the waves', and competed at the 2005 Canada Summer Games in Regina for P.E.I. in soccer.
2013
Prior to the introduction of the Smith-Francis orthography, Epekwitk was most often spelled in an anglicized form as Abegweit. It's the same word and idea; only the spelling has changed.
2026
The Island of 1773 was a very different place. The Mi'kmaq people who predated colonization called it Epekwitk (oft-anglicized as “Abegweit”), meaning cradle on the waves.
2n. — Indigenous, especially Prince Edward Island

the First Nation Mi’kmaq community.

Type: 1. Origin — On Prince Edward Island there are two First Nation groups: the Lennox Island First Nation and the Abegweit First Nation (see the Canadian Encyclopedia reference). Officially established in 1972, the Abegweit First Nation aims to pass on Mi’kmaw culture and traditions to future generations as well as creating meaningful changes within the Mi'kmaq community. The Abegweit First Nation refers to Prince Edward Island as Epekwitk (see the 2026 quotation).
The spelling Mi'kmaq is the plural non-possessive form and is never used as an adjective, while Mi'kmaw is the singular form of the word (see Nova Scotia Museum reference). Mi'kmaw can be used as an adjective when preceding a noun (see CBU Library reference).

Quotations

1980
This ironic twist has emerged from a complaint of racial discrimination lodged by a white woman, Faye Lewis, who was evicted with her Indian husband, Joeseph, from a house on the Abegweit Band Reserve at Rocky Point in Prince Edward Island.
1999
The six Mi'kmaqs from the nearby Abegweit First Nation complete their ceremony and then talk to environmentalist Sharon Labchuk about the prospect of more than 100,000 tourists a year tramping near mounds aboriginal people say contain the bones of their ancestors.
2003
Speakers have included representatives of the Mi'Kmaq and Mohawk First Nations, drumming and singing groups from Lennox Island, and elders from Abegweit First Nations, Lennox Island First Nation and the Native Council of PEI.
2014
"Sharing the Mi'kmaw history and culture - within our communities and outside them - is one of the most important things we can do," added Chief Brian Francis, Abegweit First Nation.
2026
Abegweit First Nation is a passionate and forward-thinking Mi’kmaq community that have called Epekwitk (Prince Edward Island) home for over 12,000 years. [...] As a Band government, our creation dates to 1972, when we split from Lennox Island First Nation and formed a new Band to better serve the Mi’kmaw population in central and eastern Prince Edward Island.
3n. & adj. — Prince Edward Island

of relating to Abegweit and/or Prince Edward Island.

Type: 4. Culturally Significant — Historically, the name Abegweit has become a cultural marker of Prince Edward Island. The term has been utilized for the naming of sports teams (see the 1886 and 2013 quotations), the 1947 and 1982 Prince Edward Island MV car ferry (see the 1893 and 1947 quotations), the Abegweit Crossing bridge (currently named the Confederation Bridge) and the Abegweit Passage (see the 2022 quotation).

Quotations

1886
A TEAM from the Abegweit Football Club are to leave on a trip to Nova Scotia next month.
1923
The Abegweits improved in the second standing and tackled harder but could not prevent Jones from going over for the third try which was converted by Haslam.
1947
The Province of New Brunswick welcomes the New Car Ferry "Abegweit" to service on the Prince Edward Island - New Brunswick "across the Strait" run...
1983
The new MV Abegweit carries the same name as the 35-year- [sic] old ferry it replaced, although CN officials, apparently aware of nautical jinxes, officially changed the name of the old, original Abegweit to The Abby several months ago.
1997
Ottawa nixed the No. 1 choice of a blue-ribbon panel created to pick a name for the new bridge from Prince Edward Island to the mainland. The panel, headed by former Island premier Alex Campbell, wanted to call the bridge the Abegweit Crossing, newly released documents show.
2013
The 1921-22-23 Charlottetown Abegweit Hockey Club, this team has generally been acclaimed as the greatest amateur hockey squad ever to come out of the Maritime provinces.
2022
Names matter. And what we, as politicians, name things, matters. The Confederation Bridge replaced the Abegweit ferry as the crossing of the Abegweit Passage in the Northumberland Strait between New Brunswick and PEI. Abegweit is an Anglicization of the traditional Mi'kmaq name for PEI, Epekwitk. A committee that was chaired by former P.E.I. premier Alex Campbell and which included Islanders and New Brunswickers proposed the name "Abegweit Crossing" for the new bridge in 1996. However, the committee was overruled by the federal government of the day.

References

Images

Chart 1: Internet Domain Search, 11 July 2026

Chart 1: Internet Domain Search, 11 July 2026