shanty
Preserved but no longer current.
A rude, temporary habitation. The word is principally employed to designate the huts inhabited by navigators, when constructing large lines of railway far distant from towns. It is derived from the French CHANTIER, used by the Canadians for a log hut, and has travelled from thence, by way of the United States, to England.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “shanty” mean?
A rude, temporary habitation. The word is principally employed to designate the huts inhabited by navigators, when constructing large lines of railway far distant from towns. It is derived from the French CHANTIER, used by the Canadians for a log hut, and has travelled from thence, by way of the United States, to England.
Is “shanty” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.