travois

noun

tra·​vois trə-ˈvȯi  ˈtra-ˌvȯi 

plural travois also travoises trə-ˈvȯiz 

ˈtra-ˌvȯiz

: a simple vehicle used by Plains Indians consisting of two trailing poles serving as shafts and bearing a platform or net for the load

Illustration of travois

Examples of travois in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As soon as the Brulé glimpsed Harney’s troops the women began to strike tepees, loading lodge poles, skins and other belongings onto travois, sledges drawn by horses and dogs. —Tim Madigan, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024

On the Great Plains of North America, Native American tribes employed dogs for centuries, outfitting them with a load-bearing frame called a travois that the animals pulled behind them. —Jason Daley, Smithsonian, 18 June 2019

Word History

Etymology

American French travail, from Canadian French, shaft of a cart, from Middle French traveil catafalque, prop, from Late Latin trepalium instrument of torture — more at travail

First Known Use

1847, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

travois

noun

tra·​vois trə-ˈvȯi  ˈtrav-ˌȯi 

plural travois

-ˈvȯiz,

-ˌȯiz

also travoises -ˈvȯiz 

-ˌȯiz

: an animal-drawn vehicle made of two crossed trailing poles used by the Plains people to transport a load