1. a newcomer or inexperienced person, especially one who has recently arrived in Alaska or the Yukon
Usage: informal; chiefly North American; often used in the context of gold rushes or frontier settlement

Examples

• The cheechako arrived in Dawson City with little knowledge of how to survive the harsh winter.
• Old-timers could always spot a cheechako by the way they dressed and their unfamiliarity with local customs.
• He was just a cheechako when he first came to Alaska, but after five years he knew the land well.
• The cheechakos on the trail often struggled with the difficult terrain and unpredictable weather.
• Unlike the experienced sourdoughs, the cheechakos had to learn everything about frontier life from scratch.