wigwam

American  

[wig-wom, -wawm] / ˈwɪg wɒm, -wɔm /

noun

1. a Native American dwelling, usually of rounded or oval shape, formed of poles overlaid with bark, mats, or skins.

2. the Wigwam. Tammany Hall.

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wigwam British  

/ ˈwɪɡˌwæm /

noun

1. any dwelling of the North American Indians, esp one made of bark, rushes, or skins spread over or enclosed by a set of arched poles lashed together Compare tepee

2. a similar structure for children

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Etymology

Origin of wigwam

An Americanism dating back to 1620–30; from Eastern Abenaki wìkəwαm “house,” from unattested Proto-Algonquian wi·kiwa·ʔmi; wickiup

Compare meaning

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

• wigwam vs. teepee

Explanation

A wigwam is a dome-shaped shelter, covered in bark or hides, built and used by Native Americans. It’s also a really fun word to say out loud. One type of Native American shelter is the teepee. While a teepee has a pointy top, a wigwam is curved like a dome. A wigwam is made from barks or hides stretched over poles. Wigwam comes from the Algonquian word wikewam for "dwelling.” There are different kinds of wigwams — some are more suited for warm weather, and others are built for winter. Different tribes have different styles of wigwams, but it is consistently a useful shelter.

Example Sentences

He introduced American words, some of them derived from Native American languages: skunk, squash, wigwam, hickory, opossum, lengthy, and presidential, Congress, and caucus, which were not relevant in England’s monarchy.”

From Fox News • Apr. 14, 2020

First Baptist’s free-standing, 166-foot-high bell tower provided dramatic contrast to “Wiikiaami,” a 2017 wigwam of weathered metal panels and rebar, an homage to Indiana’s Maayami people by studio:indigenous.

From Washington Post • Nov. 21, 2017

All that’s left now is a display at the Paterson Museum that includes an LED campfire, a wigwam and snarling bear skin.

From New York Times • Sep. 14, 2017

Parents who want something more conventional than a wigwam but less predictable than a little cottage can find designs rooted in such surprising sources as J.R.R.

From The Wall Street Journal • Aug. 7, 2015

She plucked the bird on the roof of Alice’s wigwam and carried the meal to the box where Chup was brooding Oksi.

From "Frightful's Mountain" by Jean Craighead George