Never Get Between a Man and His Dog

The word appears in many Native American languages, and has many alternative translations. The source of the English word is the Ojibwe word wiindigoo. In the Cree language it is wīhtikow, also transliterated wetiko. Other transliterations include Wiindigoo, Weendigo, Windego, Wiindgoo, Windgo, Windago, Windiga, Wendego, Windagoo, Widjigo, Wiijigoo, Wijigo, Weejigo, Wìdjigò, Wintigo, Wentigo, Wehndigo, Wentiko, Windgoe, Wītikō, and Wintsigo.

A plural form windigoag is also spelled windegoag, wiindigooag, or windikouk.

The Proto-Algonquian term has been reconstructed as *wi·nteko·wa, which may have meant "owl".