proa

Where does the word "proa" come from? It comes from Malay perahu, and was adopted directly into English (1580s).

Proa’s story begins in Malay: perahu meant “boat.” Malay for any boat; sailing craft with outriggers linked the islands from Malacca to the Philippines. It reached English by 1580s as proa. Reached English via Portuguese parao and Dutch prauw, and was also applied to Micronesian craft: George Anson's crew captured a 'flying proa' at Tinian in 1742 and marvelled at its speed. Today, proa means a fast Malay or Micronesian sailing boat with an outrigger.

1. Stage 1 · Malay · medieval perahu "boat", Malay for any boat; sailing craft with outriggers linked the islands from Malacca to the Philippines.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1580s proa "fast outrigger sailing boat", reached English via Portuguese parao and Dutch prauw, and was also applied to Micronesian craft: George Anson's crew captured a 'flying proa' at Tinian in 1742 and marvelled at its speed.