travois

[ truh-voi ]
/ trəˈvɔɪ /

noun, plural tra·vois [truh-voiz] /trəˈvɔɪz/.

a transport device, formerly used by the Plains Indians, consisting of two poles joined by a frame and drawn by an animal.

Origin of travois

1840–50; Americanism; pseudo-French spelling of earlier travoy < North American French; compare Canadian French travail shaft of a cart to which the horse is hitched, French: frame in which unruly horses are held while they are shod (probably < Late Latin trepālium; see travail)

Example sentences from the Web for travois

British Dictionary definitions for travois

travois
/ (trəˈvɔɪ) /

noun plural -vois (-ˈvɔɪz)

a sled formerly used by the Plains Indians of North America, consisting of two poles joined by a frame and dragged by an animal
Canadian a similar sled used for dragging logs

Word Origin for travois

from Canadian French, from French travail trave