howdah

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word howdah. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word howdah, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say howdah in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word howdah you have here. The definition of the word howdah will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofhowdah, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

English

English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia
An elephant bearing a howdah.

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Hindi हौदा (haudā), from Arabic هَوْدَج (hawdaj, litter carried by a camel) (1774).

Pronunciation

Noun

howdah (plural howdahs)

  1. A seat, usually with a canopy, carried on the back of an elephant or camel.
    • 1938, Raja Rao, Kanthapura:
      They don't ask for palanquins and howdahs.
    • 1972, Patrick O'Brian, Post Captain:
      I shot a couple [] Only from the safety of a howdah, of course.
    • 1993, Will Self, My Idea of Fun:
      I felt the corporeal elephant on whose back my world was supported amble effortlessly along, rather than it being necessary for me to lean out from the howdah of my head and goad him.
  2. An ornate carriage which is positioned on the back of elephants or occasionally other animals, used most often in the past for rich people who travelled in India via elephant.

Translations

References

  • Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary: Tenth Edition (1997)