palanquin

Meaning

Noun

• A covered type of litter for a stretched-out passenger, carried on four poles on the shoulders of four or more bearers, as formerly used (also by colonials) in eastern Asia.

Origin

• From Portuguese palanquim, from Oriya ପାଲଙ୍କି, ultimately from Sanskrit पल्यङ्क ("bed, couch, bedstead"), from परि + अङ्कस्.