prairie schooner en · NOUN
Etymology
From the sail-like appearance of the wagons' covers when traversing tall grass.
Meanings
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(historical) A covered wagon, especially one of the relatively light, cheap, and boxy design popular in the United States during the 19th century.
It was what we call a "prairie schooner," covered with cloth, a genuine emigrant wagon.
1864, Charles S. Bryant, Abel B. Murch, A History of the Great Massacre by the Sioux Indians, in Minnesota: Including the Personal Narratives of Many who Escaped, Rickey & Carroll, page 112:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| prairie schooners | Number=Plur | lexicographic |