palankeen

Variant of palanquin

palanquin definition

pal·an·quin or palankeen pal′·an·keen′ (pal′ən kēn′)

noun

Historical a covered litter used in S Asia, usually for one person, carried by poles on the shoulders of two or more men

Etymology: Port palanquim < Indo-Aryan (cf. Hindi pālkī) < Sans palyaṅka, paryaṅka, bed, couch < pari-, around (see peri-) + añcati, (it) bends < IE base *ank- > ankle

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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