bivouac

• bivouack
• biouac, biovac, bihovac (obsolete)

Borrowed from French bivouac, formerly biouac, bivac, from Alemannic German Biiwacht (“reinforcements of guard or town watch”), from bii- + Wacht (“watch, guard”), from Middle High German wachte, from Old High German *wahta (“guard, watch”), from Proto-Germanic *wahtwō (“guard, watch”), from Proto-Indo-European *weǵ- (“to be awake, be fresh, be cheerful”). Compare German Beiwache (“a keeping watch”), German Wacht (“guard”). More at by, watch, wait.

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɪv.u.æk/, /ˈbɪv.wæk/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -æk

bivouac (plural bivouacs)

1. An encampment for the night, usually without tents or covering.
2. Any temporary encampment.
3. A temporary shelter constructed generally for a few nights.
   • 2005, Boston Globe, September 23, 2005

     The outing begins by Thursday noon, when the recreational vehicles start rumbling into town and their owners set up bivouacs.

4. (dated) The watch of a whole army by night, when in danger of surprise or attack.
5. (zoology) A structure formed by migratory ants out of their own bodies to protect the queen and larvae.

bivouac (third-person singular simple present bivouacs or bivouacks, present participle bivouacing or bivouacking, simple past and past participle bivouacked)

1. To set up camp.

   We'll bivouac here tonight.

2. To watch at night or be on guard, as a whole army.
3. To encamp for the night without tents or covering.

• bivac, bivoie, biouac

Formerly bivoie, biouac, bivac, from Alemannic German beiwacht, biwacht (“a patrol of citizens added to in time of alarm or commotion to the regular town watch”), from bi, bei (“by”) + *wacht (“watch, guard”). More at bivouac.

• IPA^(key): /bi.vwak/

bivouac m (plural bivouacs)

1. bivouac (encampment for the night)

• bivouaquer

• → Bulgarian: бивак (bivak)
• → Czech: bivak
• → Danish: bivuak
• → Dutch: bivak
• → English: bivouac, bivouack
• → German: Biwak
• → Italian: bivacco
• → Japanese: ビバーク (bibāku)
• → Macedonian: бивак (bivak)
• → Polish: biwak
• → Portuguese: bivaque
• → Russian: бивак (bivak), бивуак (bivuak)
• → Slovak: bivak
• → Spanish: vivac, vivaque
• → Swedish: bivack

• “bivouac” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).