tepee

noun

te·​pee ˈtē-(ˌ)pē 

variants or teepee or less commonly tipi

: a conical tent usually consisting of skins and used especially by American Indians of the Great Plains

Illustration of tepee

Examples of tepee in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Nearby stood the skeletons of tepees, which were originally hung with elk and buffalo hide, dyed and stitched by Native artisans. —Alexis Soloski, New York Times, 3 Jan. 2025

Some 40 tepees, home to about 200 people, stood beside the water. —Tim Madigan, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024

Women would have been at work tanning hides for tepees, moccasins, shirts and breeches, and drying and curing meat for the coming northern winter. —Tim Madigan, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024

Harney confiscated tepees and buffalo meat for his expedition. —Tim Madigan, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Dakota t^hípi, from t^hi- to dwell

First Known Use

1743, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

tepee

noun

te·​pee

variants or teepee also tipi

ˈtē-pē

: a cone-shaped tent usually of skins used as a home especially by Indigenous people of the Great Plains

Etymology

from t^hípi, a word in the language of the Dakotas meaning "a dwelling tent," from t^hí- "to dwell"