wigwam
Americannoun
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a Native American dwelling, usually of rounded or oval shape, formed of poles overlaid with bark, mats, or skins.
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the Wigwam. Tammany Hall.
noun
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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
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a similar structure for children
Etymology
Origin of wigwam
An Americanism dating back to 1620–30; from Eastern Abenaki wìkəwαm “house,” from unattested Proto-Algonquian wi·kiwa·ʔmi; cf. wickiup
Compare meaning
How does wigwam compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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.
Vocabulary lists containing wigwam
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
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Native American History - Introductory
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Native American History - Middle School and High School
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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.
Two remain in business along Route 66: the Wigwam in San Bernardino and another in Holbrook, Ariz.
From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026
The trial court sided with Los Wigwam, but the Labor Department appealed.
From Washington Post • Mar. 30, 2022
But you may want to check out a bone-in Wigwam ham from Edwards this year.
From Fox News • Nov. 13, 2019
One of my favorite scenes in the movie is of Big Mack McGowan and Glenn Stagner at the Wigwam Tavern, a long-gone Nashville dive bar.
From The New Yorker • Mar. 25, 2019
The warrior replied: "Mad Buffalo never lies; he has a prisoner"; and with that, he went out of the Council Wigwam and brought in a woman.
From Legends of The Kaw The Folk-Lore of the Indians of the Kansas River Valley by Voe, Carrie de
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.
