prairie schooner

American  

noun

1. a type of covered wagon, similar to but smaller than the Conestoga wagon, used by pioneers in crossing the prairies and plains of North America.

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prairie schooner British  

noun

1. a horse-drawn covered wagon similar to but smaller than a Conestoga wagon, used in the 19th century to cross the prairies of North America

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Etymology

Origin of prairie schooner

First recorded in 1835–45

Compare meaning

How does prairie-schooner compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• prairie schooner vs. Conestoga wagon

Example Sentences

The most common wagon was the prairie schooner.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2012

For about $800, a family of four rides a prairie schooner driven by a hired hand, with stops along the trail to investigate the Smoky Hill River or the surrounding hills.

From Time Magazine Archive

Sirs: The "prairie schooner" was usually referred to as the "Conestoga" wagon.

From Time Magazine Archive

When it arrived, it turned out to be a steam engine instead of a prairie schooner and not such an irresistable choo-choo at that.

From Time Magazine Archive

East of Lincoln we met a prairie schooner and team of oxen.

From Collection of Nebraska Pioneer Reminiscences by Daughters of the American Revolution. Nebraska