Teepee / noun / te·pee

If you've ever seen a tent with a conical shape built on a natural wooden frame and covered by canvas, you were probably looking at a teepee.

The word teepee is a noun we use in North American English to describe these signature homesteads crafted by North American Indians who lived in the Plains and Great Lakes regions of the United States.

North American Indians make the outer covering of these conical tents of canvas to provide shelter and warmth. They also built teepees to protect themselves from the elements during the changing seasons. Most teepees have been replaced by more modern and weather-resistant dwelling structures.

In a Sentence

It's not uncommon to see many different types of teepees when traveling in sparsely populated areas of the Great Lakes and Plains regions of the United States.

Many people on camping trips opt to build modern-day teepees instead of pitching a traditional tent for fun.

Some national parks in North America offer teepees as accommodations for overnight camping guests.

Etymology

English speakers started using the word teepee in 1743 to describe the signature Native American structures made of natural remnants with animal skins as coverings. We derived the word from the Sioux, who used it to name their self-constructed natural dwellings. Teepee hasn't changed its definition since we started using it in the early 1700s.

Synonym

Dwelling, Abode

Antonym

Dislodge, Evict