Fr. /bee dawonn veel"/ , n. , pl. bidonvilles Fr. /-veel"/ .
(esp. in France and North Africa) an impoverished shantytown on the outskirts of a city.
[ 1950-55; bidon metal drum, can (for oil, etc.) (earlier, five-pint wooden jug; of uncert. orig.) + -ville, comb. form, in placenames, of ville city villa VILLA; metal cans are often used as building materials in such towns ]