noun
papoose
puh-POOS/pəˈpuːs/
A dated and potentially offensive term for a Native American infant or young child.
The old diary describes the Native American baby as a papoose.
Etymology
The source is Narragansett papoos, “child,” or a similar New England Algonquian word. English used it specifically for a Native American baby or child; that usage is now outdated.
In context
then the snowshoes will enable her to carry her papoose in safety seven stars is her name after the sky which looked down upon their tp the night she was born
More examples
- The museum label explains that “papoose” is dated and potentially offensive.
- She replaces “papoose” with “child” when revising the outdated description.
- The old novel calls the two Native American children papooses.
Forms
papoose · papooses