Definition of bivouac
1 : a usually temporary encampment under little or no shelter
2a : encampment usually for a nightb : a temporary or casual shelter or lodging
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Examples of bivouac in a Sentence
soldiers setting up a bivouac by the stream
Origin and Etymology of bivouac
French, from Low German biwacht, from bi by + wacht guard
First Known Use: 1819
Examples of bivouac in a Sentence
the army bivouacked for the night by the lake
survivors of the tornado were bivouacked in the church basement
Did You Know?
In his 1841 dictionary, Noah Webster observed bivouac to be a French borrowing having military origins. He defined the noun bivouac as "the guard or watch of a whole army, as in cases of great danger of surprise or attack" and the verb as "to watch or be on guard, as a whole army." The French word is derived from the Low German word biwacht, which translates to "by guard." Germans used the word specifically for a patrol of citizens who assisted the town watch at night. Today, bivouac has less to do with guarding and patrolling than it does with taking shelter.
Origin and Etymology of bivouac
see 1bivouac
First Known Use: 1809
BIVOUAC Defined for English Language Learners
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