pemmican

or pem·i·can

[ pem-i-kuhn ]

noun

1. dried meat pounded into a powder and mixed with hot fat and dried fruits or berries, pressed into a loaf or into small cakes, originally prepared by North American Indians.

pemmican

/ ˈpɛmɪkən /

noun

1. a small pressed cake of shredded dried meat, pounded into paste with fat and berries or dried fruits, used originally by American Indians and now chiefly for emergency rations

Word History and Origins

Origin of pemmican¹

1735–45; < Cree pimihka·n, derivative of pimihke·w he makes pemmican (mixing together the grease and other ingredients), he makes grease < Proto-Algonquian *pemihke·wa, equivalent to *pemy- grease + *-ehke· make

Word History and Origins

Origin of pemmican¹

C19: from Cree pimikân, from pimii fat, grease

Example Sentences

At the worst, an abstract ideal is pemmican to carry the voyager through the long nights until the ice begins to break.

From Project Gutenberg

Hoosh is a stodgy, porridge-like mixture of pemmican, dried biscuit and water, brought to the boil and served hot.

From Project Gutenberg

The pemmican we used consisted of powdered dried beef (containing the important protein, myosin) and 50 per cent.

From Project Gutenberg

Ordinary pemmican is readily eaten, but not appreciated by the dogs in the same way as seal meat.

From Project Gutenberg

After depoting a pick, shovel and some pemmican, we started back, thinking it might be possible to reach the Hut the same night.

From Project Gutenberg