powwow
UK[ˈpaʊ.waʊ]US[ˈpaʊ.waʊ]
n
a north american indian ceremony or council, often involving feasting and dancing.
n
a conference or meeting for discussion, especially among friends or colleagues.
v
to hold a powwow; to confer or discuss.
Etymology
the word 'powwow' entered english in the early 17th century from algonquian languages, where it originally referred to a spiritual leader or healer. through contact between english colonists and indigenous peoples, the term's meaning broadened to denote the ceremonies led by such figures, which were central community gatherings. over time, the word was adopted into general american english, losing its specific religious connotation to mean any informal meeting or discussion, illustrating a process of semantic generalization from a specific cultural context to a more abstract, colloquial usage.
Analysis
this word is a loanword from algonquian languages (specifically narragansett 'powwaw' or massachusett 'pauwau'), meaning 'shaman' or 'healer'. it is not segmentable into meaningful english morphemes.
Examples
the tribe held a powwow to celebrate the harvest.
the managers had a quick powwow to finalize the project plan.
let's powwow over coffee to brainstorm some ideas.