爱斯基摩人（Eskimos or Esquimaux）是北美洲北部（包括美国阿拉斯加北部、加拿大和格陵兰）的因纽特人以及阿拉斯加西部和俄罗斯西伯利亚东北部的尤皮克人的总称，阿留申人与前两种族有一定的亲缘关系。两者使用很相似的语言，均属于爱斯基摩－阿留申语系。除爱斯基摩人外，其余的美洲土着居民则属于印第安人。这些美洲土着居民常被统称为美洲原住民。

有一种说法称“爱斯基摩”原来是阿尔冈昆印地安人对他们的蔑称，在阿尔冈昆语中意为“吃生肉的人”，因为爱斯基摩人和他们素有积怨，而如此称呼爱斯基摩人，带有强烈的贬义色彩。爱斯基摩人中的一支称自己为“因纽特人”，在他们自己的语言中，“因纽特”意为“真正的人”。

The Eskimo are the indigenous peoples who have traditionally inhabited the northern circumpolar region from eastern Siberia (Russia), across Alaska (United States), Canada, and Greenland.

The two main peoples known as "Eskimo" are: the Inuit of Canada, Northern Alaska (sub-group "Inupiat"), and Greenland; and the Yupik of eastern Siberia and Alaska. The Yupik comprise speakers of four distinct Yupik languages: one used in the Russian Far East and the others among people of Western Alaska, Southcentral Alaska and along the Gulf of Alaska coast. A third northern group, the Aleut, is closely related to the Eskimo. They share a relatively recent, common ("Paleo-Eskimo") ancestor, and a language group (Eskimo-Aleut).