potlatch

verb

potlatched; potlatching; potlatches

transitive verb

1
: to give (something, such as a gift) especially with the expectation of a gift in return
2
: to hold or give a potlatch for (a tribe, a group, etc.)

intransitive verb

: to hold or give a potlatch

Word History

First Known Use

1898, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of potlatch was in 1898

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Cite this Entry

“Potlatch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/potlatch. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.

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