parfleche

[pahr-flesh, pahr-flesh]

noun

a rawhide that has been dried after having been soaked in a solution of lye and water to remove the hair.
an article or object, as a case, pouch, etc., made of such rawhide.

Origin of parfleche

1820–30; < Canadian French parflèche, equivalent to French par(er) to parry (see para-²) + flèche arrow

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for parfleche

Historical Examples of parfleche

“The Sioux had parfleche soles to all their moccasins,” said John, wisely.
The Young Alaskans on the Missouri
Emerson Hough
The painted tongue and then the others are placed on the parfleche.
The Sun Dance of the Blackfoot Indians
Clark Wissler
La Luna sat near her brother, sewing “parfleche” soles upon a pair of moccasins.
The Scalp Hunters
Mayne Reid
Then everybody began to sing hard, and four young men pounded with sticks on a parfleche, in time to the music.
When Buffalo Ran
George Bird Grinnell
The parfleche of tongues and other paraphernalia are brought out by the attending women and put down beside the couple.
The Sun Dance of the Blackfoot Indians
Clark Wissler

British Dictionary definitions for parfleche

parfleche

noun US and Canadian

a sheet of rawhide that has been dried after soaking in lye and water to remove the hair
an object, such as a case, made of this

Word Origin for parfleche

C19: from Canadian French, from French parer to ward off, protect + flèche arrow

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012