Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A covered litter carried on poles on the shoulders of multiple bearers, formerly used in eastern Asia.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A covered conveyance, generally for one person, used in India and elsewhere in the East, borne by means of poles on the shoulders of four or six men.
- To be carried in a palanquin: sometimes with it.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun An inclosed carriage or litter, commonly about eight feet long, four feet wide, and four feet high, borne on the shoulders of men by means of two projecting poles, -- used in India, China, etc., for the conveyance of a single person from place to place.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun A
covered type oflitter for a stretched-out passenger, carried on fourpoles on theshoulders of four or morebearers , as formerly used (also by colonials) in easternAsia .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun a closed litter carried on the shoulders of four bearers
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Beneath the Virgin's palanquin is laid an extraordinary carpet of colored sawdust, arranged into artistic and inventive patterns.
On the edge of Mexico City: barefoot monks in a national park 2008
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Beneath the Virgin's palanquin is laid an extraordinary carpet of colored sawdust, arranged into artistic and inventive patterns.
On the edge of Mexico City: barefoot monks in a national park 2008
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The grandees, when they appear abroad, are carried in a kind of palanquin, which is borne on two negroes 'shoulders.
The Autobiography of Liuetenant-General Sir Harry Smith, Baronet of Aliwal on the Sutlej, G. C. B. 1903
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Other elites — including samurai, nobles, village headmen, the wealthy — traveled by palanquin aka litter.
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Other elites — including samurai, nobles, village headmen, the wealthy — traveled by palanquin aka litter.
Dutch Futurists 2009
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Other elites — including samurai, nobles, village headmen, the wealthy — traveled by palanquin aka litter.
Dutch Futurists 2009
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Other elites — including samurai, nobles, village headmen, the wealthy — traveled by palanquin aka litter.
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The pagoda, as he persisted in calling the palanquin, had been left standing on the spot where we last saw it.
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Bonzes march in front, dressed in robes of black gauze, having much the appearance of Catholic priests; the principal object of interest of the procession, the corpse, comes last, laid in a sort of little closed palanquin, which is daintily pretty.
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A favourite mode of travelling in China and other countries of the East is by palanquin, which is a kind of wooden box, about twice as long as it is high, with shutters and other appliances to make it comfortable.
shoepixie commented on the word palanquin
This word has a strange majesty, for me. Almost a smell to it, or a taste. Mmm, spicy and sweet.
April 16, 2008
Prolagus commented on the word palanquin
Did anyone ever tell you about synaesthesia*? :-)
(*Or synæsthesia, or synaesthesia)
April 16, 2008
bilby commented on the word palanquin
Very colonial, which in turn sends me off to the jungle.
April 16, 2008
seanahan commented on the word palanquin
Picaresque?
April 16, 2008
yarb commented on the word palanquin
Both Roland and Sebastian were taken to the King's palace on the royal palanquin.
- William Steig, Roland the Minstrel Pig
September 29, 2008
chained_bear commented on the word palanquin
Usage on dhoolie.
May 5, 2010
Prolagus commented on the word palanquin
(The Infanta, by The Decemberists)
January 24, 2011
Prolagus commented on the word palanquin
By the way, Colin Meloy's pronunciation is quite different from Mr. Pronunciation's.
Is he 'wrong'?
February 9, 2011