Bivouac \BIV-wak, BIV-uh-wak\, noun:

1. An encampment for the night, usually under little or no shelter.
2. To encamp for the night, usually under little or no shelter.

Rob had made his emergency bivouac just below the South Summit.
— David Breashears, “Death on the mountain”, The Observer, March 30, 2003

They were stopped by savage winds and forced to bivouac 153 m below the day’s goal.
— Erik Weihenmayer, “Men of the Mountain”, Time Pacific, February 4, 2002

Bivouac comes from French bivouac, from German Beiwache, “a watching or guarding,” from bei, “by, near” + wachen, “to watch.”

Dictionary.com Entry and Pronunciation for bivouac

It’s not quite Veteran’s Day yet, but this was my first find, and considering the military origin of today’s word, I couldn’t imagine finding anything better or complementary to this beautifully written and read poem.

The Link of the Free and Home of the Brave.

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