Plural of dugout; canoes hollowed from logs, or underground shelters dug into hillsides or trenches.
From 'dug' plus 'out,' literally meaning 'hollowed out by digging.' The term has been used since early colonial America to describe both Native American canoes and military shelters, with roots in Old English 'dūgan' (to be useful).
A 'dugout' canoe is one of humanity's oldest technologies—our ancestors figured out that fire-hollowed logs float! Archaeological evidence shows dugout canoes were used by indigenous peoples in North America thousands of years ago, making them one of our most ancient water transportation methods.
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