Palanquins

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A form of seated conveyance, typically enclosed and supported by poles, used for transporting individuals usually from the upper classes
2. A type of portable enclosed chair or litter, upheld on long bars, designed to be borne by several people for carrying passengers
3. A mobile seat shielded by a canopy and supported by horizontal poles, used to transport individuals by human carriers

Etymology: Palanquins is the plural of "palanquin," and the singular comes from Portuguese "palanquim," which in turn was borrowed from Marathi "pālkhī" or a related Indic word for a litter or bed. Portuguese traders and officials in India encountered the conveyance and carried the name back to Europe, where it entered English through travel accounts of the Indian subcontinent. The vehicle itself was a covered box or enclosed seat slung from a pole, carried on the shoulders of bearers, and it became a common way for the wealthy and officials to travel over land in South Asia. Because the bearers did the walking, a palanquin was a sign of status as much as a means of transport.

Synonyms: litter, sedan chair