bayous
|bay-ou|
/ˈbaɪjuː/
(bayou)
slow-moving marshy stream
Etymology
'bayou' originates from Louisiana French, specifically the word 'bayou', ultimately from the Choctaw word 'bayuk' (also written 'bayuk' or 'bayouk'), where the root meant 'small stream' or 'creek'.
'bayou' changed from the Choctaw word 'bayuk' into Louisiana French 'bayou' during colonial contact and was adopted into English by the 18th–19th centuries, eventually becoming the modern English word 'bayou'.
Initially, it meant 'small stream' in the source language, and over time it evolved into the modern English meaning of 'a slow-moving, often marshy waterway or the region containing such waterways'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a slow-moving or stagnant creek, channel, or inlet, typically found in a marshy or swampy area of the southern United States (especially Louisiana).
The Gulf Coast is dotted with twisting bayous that shelter many bird species.
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Noun 2
the low-lying region or country characterized by bayous (used to refer to a geographic or cultural area).
She grew up in the bayous of southern Louisiana and knows the waterways well.
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Last updated: 2026/01/02 06:42