bayou
n. countablen. a slow-moving stream or a swampy area of water. You usually find these in the flat, low parts of the southern United States.
n. a marshy outlet of a lake or river, or a slow-moving body of water found in flat, low-lying areas. Primarily used in the context of the Gulf Coast region of the United States.
We took a small boat out into the bayou to see the trees.
The local guide navigated the narrow channels of the bayou, pointing out alligators resting among the cypress roots.
The unique ecosystem of the Louisiana bayou provides a critical habitat for diverse wildlife while acting as a natural buffer against the storm surges that frequently threaten the coastline.
From Louisiana French bayou, from Choctaw bayuk (“a creek”). Doublet of bogue.
Often used as a proper noun when naming specific geographic features in the southern United States.