tipi
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Explanation
The traditional tent-like dwelling of the Plains Indians is called a tipi. Modern tipis are often made of canvas, with flaps at the top allowing smoke to escape. Tipis (also spelled teepee) were historically used by indigenous Americans who lived a nomadic lifestyle, since these dwellings could be easily taken down, carried to a new place, and reassembled. Traditionally, tipis were made with long wooden poles covered by animal skins. A tipi would keep families dry in the rain, cool in hot weather, and warm in the winter with the help of a fire. Tipi comes from the Lakota thípi, "dwelling."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
A few minutes later he stops to show off a series of tipi rings — artifacts of Indigenous life that he’s promised local tribes he’ll protect.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 16, 2024
While secondary to plants, built structures, such as an arbor, sculptural obelisks or a humble tipi, support wandering vines and furnish another layer of enclosure.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 9, 2024
In May, Indian protesters erected a tipi on the pathway of a pipe being built from a nearby water source to the mine.
From Washington Times ● Sep. 6, 2023
Dustin Denega built a tipi for shelter in warmer weather, and in colder weather he slept in a trailer in the camp.
From Salon ● Mar. 8, 2023
As it happened, the tipi was a real one.
From "In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse" by Joseph Marshall III
Strummerville overlooks a sea of tipis and is named in memory of Joe Strummer, The Clash's lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist, who died in 2002.
From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2025
The rings were used to anchor tipis, and they measure barely 2 meters across.
From Science Magazine ● Mar. 29, 2023
Two of those photos are of tipis, and another shows a person inside a tipi with a wa’paas basket, slivers of light seen through the tule mats that are part of the tipi.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 25, 2023
The North Cache Avenue business, a reminder of Jackson’s old-style tourism, had tipis set up and brought in Shoshone and Arapahoe dancers from the Wind River Reservation near Lander.
From Washington Times ● Sep. 27, 2020
And for this reason Dakotas make their tipis round; and in laying a camp the tipis are set in a circular line; and in all ceremonies they sit in a circle.
From A Book Written by the Spirits of the So-Called Dead by Helleberg, C. G. (Carl Gustaf)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
