powwow

[pou-wou]

See more synonyms for powwow on Thesaurus.com

noun

a large gathering organized by North American Indians for socializing, dancing, singing, and celebrating their culture.
a council or conference of or with North American Indians.
(historically, among North American Indians) a ceremony accompanied by spiritual, religious, and ritual practices, along with dancing, performed for the cure of disease, success in a hunt, etc.

(among North American Indians) a priest or shaman.
Informal. any conference or meeting.

verb (used without object)

to hold a powwow.
Informal. to confer.

Origin of powwow

1615–25, Americanism; < Narragansett (E spelling) powwaw Indian priest (and the identical word in Massachusett) < Proto-Algonquian *pawe·wa he dreams (used as a derived agent noun meaning “he who dreams”, i.e., one who derives his power from visions)

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

Related Words for powwow

confab, parley, conference, huddle, council, meeting, consultation, confabulation, palaver, talk, confer, treat, consult, meet, advise, confabulate, get-together

Examples from the Web for powwow

Contemporary Examples of powwow

So we organized and pressured Jeffrey Zucker, CEO of NBC Universal, for a powwow.
The Year in Sexism
Amy Siskind
December 17, 2009

Historical Examples of powwow

You and Moncourt and I must have a powwow as soon as possible.
The Lightning Conductor Discovers America
C. N. (Charles Norris) Williamson and A. M. (Alice Muriel) Williamson
They won't understand it, and they'll get together and have a powwow.
A Texas Ranger
William MacLeod Raine
When a powwow was to be held I always sent him to conduct it if I could not go myself.
The Arm-Chair at the Inn
F. Hopkinson Smith
Without stopping to call a powwow they summoned all hands to arms.
Strange Stories of the Great River
Abbie Johnston Grosvenor
The fire was resurrected, and they sat down to have a powwow.
The Boy Scouts in the Maine Woods
Herbert Carter

British Dictionary definitions for powwow

powwow

noun

a talk, conference, or meeting
a magical ceremony of certain North American Indians, usually accompanied by feasting and dancing
(among certain North American Indians) a medicine man
a meeting of or negotiation with North American Indians

verb

(intr) to hold a powwow

Word Origin for powwow

C17: from Algonquian; related to Natick pauwau one who practises magic, Narraganset powwaw

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

Word Origin and History for powwow

1620s, "priest, sorcerer," from a southern New England Algonquian language (probably Narragansett) powwaw "shaman, medicine man, Indian priest," from a verb meaning "to use divination, to dream," from Proto-Algonquian *pawe:wa "he dreams, one who dreams." Meaning "magical ceremony among North American Indians" is recorded from 1660s. Sense of "council, conference, meeting" is first recorded 1812. Verb sense of "to confer, discuss" is attested from 1780.