bayou

American  

[bahy-oo, bahy-oh] / ˈbaɪ u, ˈbaɪ oʊ /

noun

Chiefly Lower Mississippi Valley and Gulf States.

plural

bayous

1. a marshy arm, inlet, or outlet of a lake, river, etc., usually sluggish or stagnant.

2. any of various other often boggy and slow-moving or still bodies of water.

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bayou British  

/ ˈbaɪjuː /

noun

1. (in the southern US) a sluggish marshy tributary of a lake or river

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bayou Scientific  

/ bī′o̅o̅ /

1. A sluggish, marshy stream connected with a river, lake, or gulf. Bayous are common in the southern United States.

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bayou Cultural  

1. Term used mainly in Louisiana and Mississippi to describe a swampy, slowly moving or stationary body of water that was once part of a lake, river, or gulf.

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Etymology

Origin of bayou

An Americanism first recorded in 1710–20; from Louisiana French bayou, bayouc, bayouque, likely from obsolete Choctaw bayuk “creek, river” (modern Choctaw bok ); compare Chickasaw bok

Example Sentences

Based in Houma, in the heart of the Louisiana bayou, they began enjoying increased prices for their catch last year.

From The Wall Street Journal

Riders journey through the bayou in search of the perfect band to perform before plunging down the attraction’s signature 50-foot drop.

From Los Angeles Times

Drawing on West African spiritual traditions, “The Brothers Size” relates the mythic story of two bayou country Louisiana brothers in conflict that is as tender as it is fierce.

From Los Angeles Times

As we dip into the bayou, the scene before us feels a tad mystical, all glowing fireflies with hues of blue and purple seeping through the trees.

From Los Angeles Times

He’s got a thick Cajun accent like he’s straight outta the bayou.

From Literature

Related Words

• backwater