Athabasca

From Woods Cree [Term?]. Compare to Plains Cree ᐋᓂᐢᑯᐊᐧᐢᑯᐢᑳᐤ (âniskowaskoskâw, “there are many reeds”) or ᐋᓂᐢᑯᐊᐧᐢᑳᐤ (âniskowaskâw, “it is full of reeds”), from ᐋᓂᐢᑯᐊᐧᐢᑲᐧ (âniskowaskwa, “reeds, bullrushes”). Doublet of Arthabaska, Quebec, from Abenaki awabaska (“place of bushes and reeds”).

The Cree name originally applied to the lake, and the river delta (the world's largest inland freshwater delta) and was borrowed into French and English by fur traders. The river was named by extension, and the town's name is clipping of "Athabasca Landing". The Cree name for the town is ᑲᐹᐃᐧᓂᕁ (kapâwinihk, “portage, landing, disembarkation”).

Athabasca

1. A lake in Alberta, Canada.
2. A river which flows into Lake Athabasca.
3. A town on the Athabasca River. Formerly "Athabasca Landing"