What is "quinzhee"

n. (context Canada English) A shelter made by hollowing out a pile of snow.

A quinzhee or quinzee is a snow shelter made by gathering a large pile of snow and then hollowing it out. This is in contrast to an igloo, which is made from blocks of hard snow. The word is of Athabaskan origin, and entered the English language by 1984. A quinzhee can be made for winter camping and survival purposes or for fun.

A similar but more elaborate snow-house is called a lumitalo.