also pow-wow, 1620s, "priest, conjurer, sorcerer among the North American natives," from a southern New England Algonquian language (probably Narragansett) powwaw "shaman, medicine man, Indian priest," from a verb meaning "to use divination, to dream," from Proto-Algonquian *pawe:wa "he dreams, one who dreams."
The meaning "magical ceremony among North American Indians" is recorded from 1660s. The general sense of "council, conference, meeting," especially if convivial, is recorded by 1812. Verb sense of "to confer, discuss, hold a consultation, deliberate over events" is attested from 1780.