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noun

teepee

TEE-pee

Teepee (noun) means a cone-shaped tent traditionally used by Native American peoples of the Great Plains. Example: “The museum had a full-size teepee on display.”

noun
1
A cone-shaped tent traditionally used by Native American peoples of the Great Plains.
"The museum had a full-size teepee on display."
2
A cone-shaped stack of small sticks built over kindling to start a campfire.
"He arranged the twigs in a teepee shape before lighting the fire."

How to use teepee

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA cone-shaped tent, or a cone of sticks arranged the same way to start a fire.

Easily confused with
Common pairings
pitch a teepee teepee fire

Word forms

teepees plural

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The museum had a full-size _____ on display.

Etymology

From the Lakota word thipi, combining thi ("to dwell") with a plural ending, together meaning roughly "they dwell" or simply "house".

tipi tepee

Related words

Rhymes for teepee

See all rhymes for teepee →

Frequently asked questions

What does “teepee” mean?

The word “teepee” means a cone-shaped tent traditionally used by Native American peoples of the Great Plains. In plain terms, a cone-shaped tent, or a cone of sticks arranged the same way to start a fire.

How do you pronounce “teepee”?

“Teepee” is pronounced TEE-pee (/ˈtiːpi/ in IPA).

How do you use “teepee” in a sentence?

Here is “teepee” used in a sentence: “The museum had a full-size teepee on display.”

What part of speech is “teepee”?

“Teepee” is a noun.

How many meanings does “teepee” have?

“Teepee” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a cone-shaped tent traditionally used by Native American peoples of the Great Plains.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial