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

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 Plains Indians to transport a load