tepee

noun

te·​pee ˈtē-(ˌ)pē How to pronounce tepee (audio)
variants or teepee or tipi
plural tepees or teepees or tipis
: a conical tent usually consisting of skins and used especially by Indigenous peoples of the Great Plains

Illustration of tepee

Illustration of tepee

Examples of tepee in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The Missouri River and Lewis and Clark campsites and Indian tepee rings still intact! Padgett Powell, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026 The camp with dozens of tepees stood along the Little Bighorn River, with people there from tribes in the Dakotas and as far away as Washington state. ABC News, 25 June 2026 Consider making a tepee or similar structure to conserve space and send the vining bean plants up a rope grid. Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2026 And, yes, there’s a cute tepee in the corner. Caron Golden, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tepee

Word History

Etymology

Dakota thípi, from thi- to dwell

First Known Use

1743, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tepee was in 1743

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Cite this Entry

“Tepee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tepee. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

tepee

noun
te·​pee
variants or teepee also tipi
ˈtē-pē
: a cone-shaped tent usually of skins used as a home especially by Indigenous people of the Great Plains
Etymology

from thípi, a word in the language of the Dakotas meaning "a dwelling tent," from thí- "to dwell"

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