​WIGWAM, a term loosely adopted as a general name for the houses of North American Indians. It is, however, strictly applied to a particular dome-shaped or conical hut made of poles lashed together at the tops and covered with bark. The skin tents of many of the Plains Indians are called tipis. The word “wigwam” represents the Europeanized or Anglicized form of the Algonkian wēkou-om-ut, i.e. “in his (their) house.”