Bayou
/ˈbaɪ.uː/noun
A slow-moving, marshy waterway or minor stream, especially in the U.S. Gulf Coast region.
Did you know?The English word *bayou* came into American English through Louisiana French, and its deeper origin is debated, but it’s often traced to a Native American word for a sluggish stream rather than any mystical European root.
Etymological Timeline
Modern English
English
bayou
“A marshy, slow-moving stream or inlet, especially in the Gulf Coast region.”
18th-19th Century
Louisiana French
bayou
“A sluggish stream, marsh channel, or backwater.”
Earlier Colonial Period
French
bayou
“A local term in French-speaking Louisiana for a small, slow waterway.”
Likely Indigenous Source
Choctaw/other Gulf languages
bayuk / similar forms
“A small stream or creek, probably the ultimate source of the word.”