Bunkhouse

/ˈbʌŋkhaʊs/ noun

Definition

A simple building with bunks or beds where workers, especially ranch or farm workers, sleep together in shared quarters.

Etymology

A compound word from 'bunk' (a narrow bed) + 'house' (dwelling). The term became common in the American West in the 1800s during the ranching and mining era.

Kelly Says

Bunkhouses were the origin of the phrase 'sleeping like a log'—ranch hands worked so hard they'd collapse into their bunks exhausted, a cultural image that defined the American frontier!

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