Why is the term Eskimo considered offensive when referring to Inuit people?

The term "Eskimo" is considered offensive and pejorative when referring to Inuit people primarily because it is an exonym—a name imposed on Indigenous peoples by outsiders—rather than a term they chose for themselves. The Inuit have their own name for themselves, Inuit, which means "the people" in their language.123

The offensiveness of the term is compounded by two main factors:

• Imposed Identity: Historically, the Inuit never called themselves "Eskimos." The name was applied to them by European explorers and colonizers, which perpetuated a sense of cultural marginalization and colonialism.324
• Negative Connotations: The term has long been associated with a now-discredited belief that it meant "eaters of raw flesh." While some linguists suggest the original root may have meant "speaker of an alien language" or "snowshoe-netter," the term nonetheless became associated with negative stereotypes that denigrated the Inuit people.132

By the 21st century, the name Inuit has widely supplanted Eskimo in many regions, particularly in Canada, as a matter of respect for Indigenous self-determination and identity.32