shanty
n. countablen. a very small, poor-quality house or building. It is often made of wood or metal and is not very strong.
n. a crude, makeshift dwelling or structure, typically constructed from scrap materials. Often associated with poverty or temporary housing in urban or rural slums.
The family lived in a small wooden shanty on the edge of the city.
After the flood, many residents were forced to live in makeshift shanties until the government could rebuild the neighborhood.
The documentary explores the lives of those who inhabit the sprawling shanty towns that have grown up around the industrial district, highlighting the lack of basic infrastructure and services.
From Canadian French chantier (“lumberjack's headquarters”). An alternative theory that the word derives from Irish seantí (meaning "old house") is not considered likely by lexicologists. * (unlicensed pub): New Zealand from 1848.
From French chantez, imperative of chanter (“to sing”).