Papoose (from the Narragansett papoos, meaning "child")^[1] is an American English word whose present meaning is "a Native American child" (regardless of tribe) or, even more generally, any child, usually used as a term of endearment, often in the context of the child's mother.^[2] In 1643, Roger Williams recorded the word in his A Key into the Language of America, helping to popularize it.^[3]

Cradle boards and other child carriers used by Native Americans are known by various names. In Algonquin history, the term papoose is sometimes used to refer to a child carrier. However, there are many different terms among the 573 federally recognized tribes, nations, and communities.

• The dictionary definition of papoose at Wiktionary