wigwam

American  

[wig-wom, -wawm] / ˈwɪg wɒm, -wɔm /

noun

wigwams plural

1. a Native American dwelling, usually of rounded or oval shape, formed of poles overlaid with bark, mats, or skins.

2. the Wigwam. Tammany Hall.

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wigwam British  

/ ˈwɪɡˌwæm /

noun

1. any dwelling of the North American Indians, esp one made of bark, rushes, or skins spread over or enclosed by a set of arched poles lashed together Compare tepee

2. a similar structure for children

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• wigwams
  plural

Etymology

Origin of wigwam

An Americanism dating back to 1620–30; from Eastern Abenaki wìkəwαm “house,” from unattested Proto-Algonquian wi·kiwa·ʔmi; cf. wickiup

Compare meaning

How does wigwam compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• wigwam vs. teepee

Explanation

A wigwam is a dome-shaped shelter, covered in bark or hides, built and used by Native Americans. It’s also a really fun word to say out loud. One type of Native American shelter is the teepee. While a teepee has a pointy top, a wigwam is curved like a dome. A wigwam is made from barks or hides stretched over poles. Wigwam comes from the Algonquian word wikewam for "dwelling.” There are different kinds of wigwams — some are more suited for warm weather, and others are built for winter. Different tribes have different styles of wigwams, but it is consistently a useful shelter.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

wigwam wigwams

“I wanted to replicate the process of making a wigwam, not make an actual wigwam,” Mr. Cornelius said.

From New York Times ● Mar. 9, 2023

He introduced American words, some of them derived from Native American languages: skunk, squash, wigwam, hickory, opossum, lengthy, and presidential, Congress, and caucus, which were not relevant in England’s monarchy.”

From Fox News ● Apr. 14, 2020

Parents who want something more conventional than a wigwam but less predictable than a little cottage can find designs rooted in such surprising sources as J.R.R.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2015

When the concrete had set, the wigwam was burned.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 1, 2015

There was a smaller wigwam where the tools were stored.

From "The Birchbark House" by Louise Erdrich

The course was jointly led by Ojibwe elders, who taught him how to knap flint, tan hides and build wigwams.

From New York Times ● Sep. 13, 2022

These mound builders probably lived in temporary camps in structures similar to wigwams that could be easily dismantled and moved, Rosebrough said.

From Washington Times ● Sep. 5, 2020

The tribe is still recognized for some of its long-standing traditions: fur trapping, syrup making, and the construction of birch bark canoes and dome-shaped traditional homes called wigwams.

From Scientific American ● Jun. 1, 2020

They lived in wigwams, or longhouses, that looked similar to those of other tribes along the East Coast.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 22, 2018

She learned that they lived in wigwams, not teepees, and that they made canoes from the bark of a single white birch tree, removed in one piece so as not to kill it.

From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline