fais-dodo

[fey-doh-doh]

noun

Louisiana.

plural

fais-dodos 

1. a country dance party.

Word History and Origins

Origin of fais-dodo¹

First recorded in 1940–45; Louisiana French, French: literally, “go to sleep, go night-night!” ( fais 2nd person singular imperative of faire “to do, make”; dodo nursery word for “sleep,” probably based on dod(el)iner “to nod, dandle (a child),” influenced by dormir “to sleep”

Example Sentences

They included golf tournaments, an annual Cajun ball called a fais-dodo, and a Mardis Gras float that helped benefit a children’s cancer charity.

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