buffalo chips: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Historical, Regional, Informal
Quick answer
What does “buffalo chips” mean?
Dried dung of bison (American buffalo), historically used as fuel in treeless plains.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Dried dung of bison (American buffalo), historically used as fuel in treeless plains.
Any dried animal dung used as fuel; in modern informal usage, can refer to something considered worthless or rustic. Also the name for a type of fried potato snack.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is almost exclusively American, relating to North American bison and pioneer history. A British speaker would likely be unfamiliar with the primary meaning.
Connotations
In AmE: historical practicality, pioneer life, the Old West. In BrE: likely confusion or perceived as a humorous Americanism.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in BrE. In AmE, low frequency overall but understood in historical/regional contexts or as a branded snack name.
Grammar
How to Use “buffalo chips” in a Sentence
They used to burn buffalo chips.The pioneers collected buffalo chips for the fire.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “buffalo chips” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A
American English
- The settlers would often buffalo-chip their fires when wood was scarce. (rare, non-standard)
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- They built a buffalo-chip fire. (attributive noun use)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except possibly in branding for snack foods or historical tourism.
Academic
Used in historical, anthropological, or environmental studies of the Great Plains.
Everyday
Very rare. Might be used humorously or in regional contexts (e.g., parts of the Midwest/West).
Technical
Not used in technical fields outside specific historical discourse.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “buffalo chips”
- Using it to refer to modern snack food in a historical sentence. Thinking it refers to wood chips or buffalo meat.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Very similar, but specifically from bison (American buffalo) rather than cattle. Both were used as fuel.
No, not in the historical sense. However, 'Buffalo Chips' is a brand name for a type of seasoned potato chip or snack.
Not inherently. It's a descriptive, historical term. It may be considered crude in polite conversation, similar to other words for manure.
Most likely in historical books, documentaries about the American West, or on the packaging of a specific brand of snack food.
Dried dung of bison (American buffalo), historically used as fuel in treeless plains.
Buffalo chips is usually historical, regional, informal in register.
Buffalo chips: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbʌf.ə.ləʊ ˌtʃɪps/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbʌf.ə.loʊ ˌtʃɪps/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “"Don't have a pot to piss in nor a window to throw it out." (Contextual parallel for extreme poverty/pioneer hardship)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a BUFFALO playing poker with CHIPS made of dried dung instead of clay.
Conceptual Metaphor
WASTE/UNDESIRABLE MATERIAL AS A RESOURCE (a necessary evil).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary, historical meaning of 'buffalo chips'?