proa

American

[proh-uh] / ˈproʊ ə /

noun

any of various types of Indonesian boats, especially a swift Malay sailing boat built with the lee side flat and balanced by a single outrigger.

proa British

/ ˈprəʊə /

noun

any of several kinds of canoe-like boats used in the South Pacific, esp one equipped with an outrigger and sails

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of proa

1575–85; < Malay pərahu, pərau (spelling perahu ) (< Kannada paḍahu, or a cognate Dravidian word); probably influenced by Spanish or Portuguese proa prow ¹, bow

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

proa

Three years later, Mr. Newick designed his version of an ancient Polynesian outrigger canoe known as a proa.

From New York Times ● Sep. 16, 2013

The proa was nearing the beach when a white flag was hoisted on her deck.

From The Argus Pheasant by John Charles Beecham

Under Lkath's trained hand the proa skipped through the intricate channel without scraping a rock and shot the length of the harbor.

From The Argus Pheasant by John Charles Beecham

But there were sharp eyes and ears on board the proa as well as on shore, and a cry of alarm was given from the deck.

From The Argus Pheasant by John Charles Beecham

Pellett was half drowned and the proa half swamped.

From Where the Pavement Ends by John Russell

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023