The term "Penutian" refers to a proposed language family that includes several indigenous languages spoken in the western United States and parts of Mexico. This family is primarily associated with the Penutian languages, which are believed to share a common ancestral language. Some of the notable languages within this family include Yokuts, Miwok, and Wintun. Linguists have debated the classification and relationships among these languages for many years. While some researchers support the idea of a Penutian family, others argue that the connections are not strong enough to warrant this classification. Ongoing studies aim to better understand the historical and linguistic ties among these languages.