powwow
- 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.
- to hold a powwow.
- Informal. to confer.
Origin of powwow
Related Words for powwow
confab, parley, conference, huddle, council, meeting, consultation, confabulation, palaver, talk, confer, treat, consult, meet, advise, confabulate, get-togetherExamples from the Web for powwow
Contemporary Examples of powwow
So we organized and pressured Jeffrey Zucker, CEO of NBC Universal, for a powwow.
Historical Examples of powwow
You and Moncourt and I must have a powwow as soon as possible.
The Lightning Conductor Discovers AmericaC. 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 RangerWilliam 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 InnF. Hopkinson Smith
Without stopping to call a powwow they summoned all hands to arms.
Strange Stories of the Great RiverAbbie Johnston Grosvenor
The fire was resurrected, and they sat down to have a powwow.
The Boy Scouts in the Maine WoodsHerbert Carter
powwow
- 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
- (intr) to hold a powwow
Word Origin for powwow
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.