different between bivvy vs bivouac

English

Etymology

From bivouac +? -y.

Noun

bivvy (plural bivvies)

1. (colloquial) A small tent or shelter.
   • 2011, Caitlin Moran, ‘Protestors? They're Beautiful’, The Times, 12 Nov 2011:

     It would be alarming and disconcerting if people sleeping on roll-mats in central London emerged from their bivvies at breakfast, box-fresh, and sporting a crease down each leg of their slacks.

Verb

bivvy (third-person singular simple present bivvies, present participle bivvying, simple past and past participle bivvied)

1. To erect, or to stay in, such a tent or shelter.

English

Alternative forms

• bivouack
• biouac, biovac, bihovac (obsolete)
• bivy, bivvy (shortening)

Etymology

Borrowed from French bivouac (earlier biouac, bivac), from Alemannic German Biiwacht (“reinforcements of guard or town watch”), from bii- + Wacht (“watch, guard”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?b?v.u.æk/, /?b?v.wæk/
• Rhymes: -æk

Noun

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.

Translations

Verb

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.

Translations

French

Alternative forms

• bivac, bivoie, biouac

Etymology

From earlier bivoie, biouac, bivac, from Alemannic German Biiwacht (“a patrol of citizens added - in time of alarm or commotion - to the regular town watch”), from bii- (“by-”) + Wacht (“watch, guard”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bi.vwak/

Noun

bivouac m (plural bivouacs)

1. bivouac (encampment for the night)

Derived terms

• bivouaquer

Descendants

• ? Bulgarian: ????? (bivak)
• ? Czech: bivak
• ? Danish: bivuak
• ? Dutch: bivak
• ? English: bivouac, bivouack
• ? German: Biwak
• ? Galician: bivaque
• ? Hungarian: bivak
• ? Italian: bivacco
• ? Japanese: ???? (bib?ku)
• ? Macedonian: ????? (bivak)
• ? Polish: biwak
• ? Portuguese: bivaque
• ? Russian: ????? (bivak), ?????? (bivuak)
• ? Slovak: bivak
• ? Slovene: bivak
• ? Spanish: vivac, vivaque
• ? Swedish: bivack

Further reading

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