bidarka

American  

[bahy-dahr-kuh] / baɪˈdɑr kə /

Sometimes bidara or baidarka

noun

1. a sealskin boat used by primarily by the Alaskan Aleuts.

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bidarka British  

/ baɪˈdɑːkiː, baɪˈdɑːkə /

noun

1. a canoe covered in animal skins, esp sealskin, used by the Inuit of Alaska

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Etymology

Origin of bidarka

First recorded in 1825–35; from Russian baĭdárka, equivalent to baĭdár(a) “kind of river craft” (apparently akin to baĭdák “river craft, barge,” Old Russian baidakŭ, bodakŭ, of obscure origin) + -ka diminutive suffix

Example Sentences

They hurried the bidarka across the sea-wall to the open water of the bay.

From The Young Alaskans by Hough, Emerson

When bidarka go, you take-um talk-talk paper, we give-um rifle.

From The Young Alaskans by Hough, Emerson

It’s lucky we’ve so good a sea-boat along as this dory—it’s far safer than Jimmy’s bidarka over there.”

From The Young Alaskans by Hough, Emerson

He pulled from the bidarka a shawl, marvelous of texture and color, and flung it about his mother's shoulders.

From Brown Wolf and Other Jack London Stories Chosen and Edited By Franklin K. Mathiews by London, Jack

There is every chance that he left the bidarka somewhere in the creek.

From The Young Alaskans by Hough, Emerson