potlatch
Pronunciation
  • (British) IPA: /ˈpɒtˌlætʃ/
  • (America) IPA: /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 Translations
  • French: auberge espagnole, repas-partage, buffet canadien
  • German: Potluck
  • Portuguese: festa americana
  • Spanish: comelata (Puerto Rico)
Verb

potlatch (potlatches, present participle potlatching; past and past participle potlatched)

  1. To carry out the indigenous potlatch ceremony.



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