potlatch

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Chinook Jargon potlatch (“to give; gift”), from Nootka p̕ačiƛ (“to give in ceremony”). Compare potluck.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpɒtˌlætʃ/
• IPA^(key): /ˈpɑtˌlætʃ/

Noun

potlatch (plural potlatches)

1. A ceremony amongst certain indigenous peoples of the Pacific northwest in which gifts are bestowed upon guests and personal property is destroyed in a show of wealth and generosity.
2. A communal meal to which guests bring dishes to share; a potluck.
   • 2015, Yuval Noah Harari, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind:

     If all went according to plan, the bands could harvest tons of meat, fat and animal skins in a single afternoon of collective effort, and either consume these riches in a giant potlatch, or dry, smoke or (in Arctic areas) freeze them for later usage.

   Synonyms: fuddle, potluck

Translations

ceremony amongst certain indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest

• French: potlatch (fr) m
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Russian: по́тлач (ru) m (pótlač)

communal meal to which guests bring dishes to share

• Chinese:

  Min Nan: 樂公／乐公 (lo̍k-kong), 拍斗四 (phah-táu-sì)

• Finnish: nyyttikestit (fi) pl
• French: auberge espagnole (fr) f, repas-partage m, buffet canadien m
• German: Potluck
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Greek:

  Ancient: ἔρανος m (éranos)

• Portuguese: festa americana f
• Spanish: comelata f (Puerto Rico)
• Swedish: knytkalas (sv)

Verb

1. To carry out the indigenous potlatch ceremony.

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Chinook Jargon

Etymology

From Nootka p̕ačiƛ (“to give in ceremony”).

Noun

potlatch

1. gift
2. giving
3. gift-feast, potlatch

Verb

potlatch

1. to give, receive

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French

Etymology

Borrowed from Chinook Jargon potlatch (“gift”), from Nootka p̕ačiƛ (“to give in ceremony”).

Noun

potlatch m (plural potlatchs)

1. potlatch

Further reading

• “potlatch”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.