bivouac Hear it!

bivouac definition

biv·ouac (biv′wak′, -o̵̅o̅ ak′)

noun

  1. Archaic a night guard to avoid surprise attack
  2. a temporary encampment (esp. of soldiers) in the open, with only tents or improvised shelter

Etymology: Fr < Ger dial. (Swiss) biwacht, night guard < OHG bi-, by, with + wahta, watchman < wahhen, watch, wake

intransitive verb bivouacked -·acked′, bivouacking -·ack′·ing

to encamp in the open

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.