prow

¹ American  

[prou] / praʊ /

noun

1. the forepart of a ship or boat; bow.

2. the front end of an airship.

3. Literary. a ship.

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prow ² American  

[prou] / praʊ /

adjective

Archaic.

1. valiant.

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prow British  

/ praʊ /

noun

1. the bow of a vessel

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Other Word Forms

• prowed adjective

Etymology

Origin of prow¹

1545–55; < Middle French proue < Upper Italian ( Genoese ) prua < Latin prōra < Greek prôira

Origin of prow²

1350–1400; Middle English < Old French prou < Vulgar Latin *prōdis. See proud

Explanation

If you’re standing on the prow of a ship, you're on the front section, above the waterline. When Leonardo DiCaprio declared himself “King of the World” in the movie Titanic, he was standing on the prow of the doomed ship. Prow came into English from the Greek word prōira, from a base meaning “in front.” Prow typically refers to the front part of a ship — the pointy bit that cuts through the water. You might see the prow of a ship approach the harbor through the fog. You can also use prow for things that look like the front of a ship, like the prow of a rock formation.

Example Sentences

They show the prow of a wooden ship, encrusted with marine life, a few bronze cannons scattered across the sand, and blue-and-white porcelain and gold coins shining on the ocean floor.

From BBC • Oct. 2, 2024

A shoulder bag with a disposable diaper, baby bottle and infant shoes sits on one prow alongside tins of anchovies and tuna from Tunisia and many plastic sandals.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 13, 2024

Whenever the beach goes underwater and the waves move in, this corner building looks like the prow of a ship lost at sea.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 22, 2023

The casting of Thiéry, with his physical solidity, his fat-sausage fingers and rough-hewed face — his ponderous brow juts out like a ship’s prow — is crucial in this regard.

From New York Times • Jun. 8, 2023

This was bad news, indeed, and all were weeping when they left Circe’s isle and turned their prow toward Erebus where Hades rules with awesome Persephone.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton