Powwow

Alternative forms

• pau wau
• almost all capitalization, punctuation, and spacing variants are attested, such as pow wow, Pow-Wow, etc.

Origin

From an language, probably Massachusett pauwau or Narragansett powwaw "practitioner of magic, shaman", from Proto-Algonquian *pawe·wa ("one who dreams").

Full definition of powwow

Noun

1. A ritual conducted by a Native American shaman.
2. A Native American shaman.
3. A Native American council or meeting.
4. (informal) A short, private conference.
• 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, Mr. Pratt's Patients Chapter 12, While the powwow was going on the big woman came back again. She was consider'ble rumpled and scratched up, but there was fire in her eye.

Verb

1. (intransitive, of Native Americans) To hold a meeting; to gather together in council.
• 2005, Glen Tucker, Tecumseh: A Vision of Glory, page 224:The Indians saw everything that happened and powwowed all night, needing more than anything else the presence of Tecumseh. The most aggressive element was the Winnebagos, who insisted on attacking.
2. (intransitive, of Native Americans and by extension other groups, such as the Pennsylvania Dutch) To conduct a ritual in which magic is used.
• 2007, David W. Kriebel, Powwowing Among the Pennsylvania Dutch, page 10:Maybe no one— except possibly Leah— powwowed anymore.
3. (informal, intransitive) To hold a private conference.