bidarka

American  

[bahy-dahr-kuh] / baɪˈdɑr kə /

Sometimes bidara or baidarka

noun

1. a sealskin boat used by primarily by the Alaskan Aleuts.

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bidarka British  

/ baɪˈdɑːkə /

noun

1. a canoe covered in animal skins, esp sealskin, used by the Inuit of Alaska

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Etymology

Origin of bidarka

First recorded in 1825–35; from Russian baĭdárka, equivalent to baĭdár(a) “kind of river craft” (apparently akin to baĭdák “river craft, barge,” Old Russian baidakŭ, bodakŭ, of obscure origin) + -ka diminutive suffix

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bidarka

It’s lucky we’ve so good a sea-boat along as this dory—it’s far safer than Jimmy’s bidarka over there.”

From The Young Alaskans by Emerson Hough

With much shouting and gesticulation, one after another bidarka joined these, the hunter in each hurriedly casting off the lashings of his harpoon which lay along deck.

From The Young Alaskans by Emerson Hough

When bidarka go, you take-um talk-talk paper, we give-um rifle.

From The Young Alaskans by Emerson Hough

To George's inquiries they answered that their largest canoe was the three-holed bidarka on the cache outside.

From Pardners by Rex Ellingwood Beach

With a shout he called to the others to halt, and presently, pushing the bidarka out into the creek, he paddled across to them.

From The Young Alaskans by Emerson Hough

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