palanquin

Etymology

From Portuguese palanquim, from Oriya ପାଲଙ୍କି (palôṅki), ultimately from Sanskrit पल्यङ्क (palyaṅka, “bed, couch, bedstead”), from परि (pari, “around, about”) + अङ्कस् (aṅkas, “bend, curve”).

noun

1. 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.