bivouac

== English == === Alternative forms === bivouack biouac, bivoac, bihovac (obsolete) bivy, bivvy (shortening) === Etymology === Unadapted borrowing from French bivouac (earlier biouac, bivac), from Alemannic German Biiwacht (“reinforcements of guard or town watch”), from bii- + Wacht (“watch, guard”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈbɪv.u.æk/, /ˈbɪv.wæk/ Rhymes: -æk === Noun === bivouac (plural bivouacs) An encampment for the night, usually without tents or covering. Any temporary encampment. A temporary shelter constructed generally for a few nights. (dated) The watch of a whole army by night, when in danger of surprise or attack. (zoology) A structure formed by migratory ants out of their own bodies to protect the queen and larvae. ==== Derived terms ==== bivouac sack bivouac sheet ==== Translations ==== === Verb === bivouac (third-person singular simple present bivouacs or bivouacks, present participle bivouacing or bivouacking, simple past and past participle bivouacked) (transitive, intransitive) To set up camp. (intransitive) To watch at night or be on guard, as a whole army. (intransitive) To encamp for the night without tents or covering. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== == French == === Alternative forms === bivac, bivoie, biouac === Etymology === From earlier bivoie, biouac, bivac, from Alemannic German Biiwacht (“a patrol of citizens added - in time of alarm or commotion - to the regular town watch”), from bii- (“by-”) + Wacht (“watch, guard”). === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /bi.vwak/ === Noun === bivouac m (plural bivouacs) bivouac (encampment for the night) ==== Derived terms ==== bivouaquer ==== Descendants ==== → Bulgarian: бивак (bivak) → Czech: bivak → Danish: bivuak → Dutch: bivak → English: bivouac, bivouack, biouac, bivoac, bihovac (obsolete), bivy, bivvy (shortening) → German: Biwak → Galician: bivaque → Hungarian: bivak → Italian: bivacco → Japanese: ビバーク (bibāku) → Macedonian: бивак (bivak) → Polish: biwak → Portuguese: bivaque → Russian: бивак (bivak), бивуак (bivuak) → Slovak: bivak → Slovene: bivak → Spanish: vivac, vivaque → Swedish: bivack === Further reading === “bivouac”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012