wanigan
Americannoun
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a lumberjack's trunk.
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a lumber camp's supply chest.
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a small house on wheels or tractor treads, used as an office or shelter in temporary lumber camps.
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(especially in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest) a lean-to or other small addition built onto a house trailer, cabin, etc.
noun
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a lumberjack's chest or box
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a cabin, caboose or houseboat
Etymology
Origin of wanigan
First recorded in 1840–50; from Ojibwe wa·nikka·n “pit,” derivative of wa·nikke·- “to dig a hole in the ground” from unattested Proto-Algonquian wa·θehke·- (unattested wa·θ- “hole” + -ehke·- “make”)
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.
By pushing and pulling on the logs floating about them, they managed to work the wanigan in close to the bank.
From The Riverman by Stewart Edward White
Outside, the cook and cookee were stowing articles in the already loaded wanigan.
From The Blazed Trail by Stewart Edward White
By this time the wanigan had caught the stronger current at the bend and was gathering momentum.
From The Riverman by Stewart Edward White
The ground had now hardened so that a wanigan boat was unnecessary.
From The Riverman by Stewart Edward White
The wanigan shot forward below the gate— WHACK!
From The Riverman by Stewart Edward White
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.
