n., pl., Nez Perce, or Nez Per·ces (pûr'sĭz), also Nez Percé or Nez Per·cés (-sāz').
- A Native American people formerly inhabiting the lower Snake River and its tributaries in western Idaho, northeast Oregon, and southeast Washington, with present-day populations in western Idaho and northeast Washington.
- A member of this people.
- The Sahaptian language of the Nez Perce.
[French Nez-Percé : nez, nose + percé, past participle of percer, to pierce.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
