Papoose means: A Native American baby.. It is generally derogatory or offensive; worth a quiet word about how it lands on the person being described. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up. For most families this word will pass by without incident; it is more a vocabulary curiosity than a parenting concern.
papoose
(US, dated, offensive) A Native American baby.
Definitions
(US, dated, offensive) A Native American baby.
Papoose means: A Native American baby.. It is generally derogatory or offensive; worth a quiet word about how it lands on the person being described. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up. For most families this word will pass by without incident; it is more a vocabulary curiosity than a parenting concern.
papoose means: A Native American baby.. Register: dated, informal. Avoid in formal, business, academic, or polite writing. Even in casual speech the word can offend and is best left out of a learner's active vocabulary. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.
Comments
(UK) A backpack for carrying a baby, or specifically a cradleboard.
They say he has Indian blood in him. They say he has an Indian wife somewhere, and a lot of papooses. Cherokee.
“Nems & Ron Browz 🔥 I SHOULD BOOM YOU (Album) (Prod. Ron Browz) Ft. Lil Fame (M.O.P) & Papoose 🔥 PaperChaserDotCom www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bJY...”
— Bluesky· May 2026
Comments
For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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🇬🇧About British & Irish slang slang
UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.
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Other words near "papoose" (P)
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