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Today it means

scow

a flat-bottomed boat for carrying freight

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Where does the word "scow" come from? It comes from Dutch schouw, and was adopted directly into English (1660s).

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Where does the word "scow" come from? It comes from Dutch schouw, and was adopted directly into English (1660s).

Scow’s story begins in Dutch: schouw meant “ferry boat.” A ferry boat, pushed with a pole. It reached English by 1660s as scow. Borrowed from the Dutch of New Netherland. Today, scow means a flat-bottomed boat for carrying freight.

  1. Stage 1 · Dutch · 1600s schouw "ferry boat", a ferry boat, pushed with a pole.
  2. Stage 2 · American English · 1660s scow "flat-bottomed barge", borrowed from the Dutch of New Netherland.

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