BAYOU
What does "BAYOU" mean?
A slow-moving, marshy creek or backwater, especially in the southern United States.
Meanings
- A sluggish, often swampy offshoot of a lake or river, typical of the Gulf Coast. Cypress knees rose from the still brown water of the bayou.
Did you know?
- Bayou is a borrowed word twice over: English took it from Louisiana French, which had taken it from the Choctaw 'bayuk', a small stream - so an iconic Southern word is really Indigenous.
Word origin
From Louisiana French 'bayou', borrowed from the Choctaw word 'bayuk' meaning a small stream or creek; one of the few everyday English words rooted in a Native American language of the Gulf South.
Remember it
BAYOU = 'BAY' + 'OU' - a quiet bay where the water says 'ooh' and slows right down.
A little poem
Brown water, no rush-
the heron stands an hour deep
in its own reflection.
haiku
What it teaches
Not every current needs to hurry; some places keep their power by refusing to move fast.
Quick facts
What does BAYOU mean?
A slow-moving, marshy creek or backwater, especially in the southern United States.
Is BAYOU a valid word?
Yes — BAYOU is one of the answer words in Wordul, the daily word game.
How many letters is BAYOU?
BAYOU has 5 letters and 2 syllables.
Where does BAYOU come from?
From Louisiana French 'bayou', borrowed from the Choctaw word 'bayuk' meaning a small stream or creek; one of the few everyday English words rooted in a Native American language of the Gulf South.
What can BAYOU teach us?
Not every current needs to hurry; some places keep their power by refusing to move fast.
How players do
Be the first to solve it.