powwow

Meaning

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.
5. (Canada, US) A large gathering during which Indigenous songs and dances are showcased for an audience, essentially a recital or concert. Often also doubles as a fundraiser, or can be held in conjunction with a non-indigenous fair or exhibition in order to attract a large crowd, as at the Calgary Stampede and K-Days.
6. A tradition of folk magic practiced by the Pennsylvania Dutch.

Verb

1. (intransitive) To hold a meeting; to gather together in council.
2. (intransitive) To conduct a ritual in which magic is used.
3. (informal, intransitive, offensive, often) To hold a private conference.

Synonyms

meeting

wizard

huddle

magician

sorcerer

warlock

witch

assembly

convocation

deliberate

discuss

necromancer

parley

confer

Translations

assemblée

Zauberer

devin

sorcier

sorcière

stregone

consiglio di pellirosse

fattucchiere

brujo

hechicero

Pow Wow

büyücü

riunione

συμβούλιο αμερικανοινδών

διασκέπτομαι

Etymology

From an Eastern Algonquian language, probably Massachusett pauwau (“he uses divination; he practices magic or sorcery”) or Narragansett powwáw (“sorcerer, shaman”), ultimately from Proto-Algonquian *pawe·wa (“one who dreams”).