powwow

[ pou-wou ]

/ ˈpaʊˌwaʊ /

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.

Nearby words

powers, hiram, powfagged, powhatan, powhatan confederacy, powhiri, powwow, powys, powys, john cowper, pox, poxviridae, poxvirus

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. 2019

Examples from the Web for powwow

So we organized and pressured Jeffrey Zucker, CEO of NBC Universal, for a powwow.
The Year in Sexism|Amy Siskind|December 17, 2009|DAILY BEAST
In the midst of the powwow—for Indians can seldom do anything without a powwow—the third canoe appeared upon the river.
Strange Stories of the Great River|Abbie Johnston Grosvenor
I wanted to find out what his game was an' when he run onto Long Bill I snuck up an' listened to their powwow.
Prairie Flowers|James B. Hendryx
I guess it is, but that's an awful bad spot—that's right, Widow, powwow it.
The Soldier of the Valley|Nelson Lloyd

The two boys watched the little squad meet the four Indians, and enter into a powwow with them.
The Pioneer Boys on the Great Lakes|Harrison Adams
I've listened to all this powwow, and I gather that you got drunk to the last man, and he gathered you in.
The Wreck of the Titan|Morgan Robertson

British Dictionary definitions for powwow

powwow

/ (ˈpaʊˌwaʊ) /

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

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.

powwow

noun

verb (used without object)

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of powwow

Examples from the Web for powwow

British Dictionary definitions for powwow

powwow

noun

verb

Word Origin for powwow

Word Origin and History for powwow

powwow