Palang
/pəˈlæŋ/noun
A bedstead or low bed, especially in South Asian usage.
Did you know?Palang is related to palanquin through the Sanskrit word paryaṅka, which referred to a couch, bed, or ceremonial seat—linking sleep, status, and ritual transport.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
paryaṅka
“A couch, bed, or elevated seat.”
Middle Indo-Aryan
Prakrit
pallaṅka
“A bed or couch, with the consonants and sounds reshaped through ordinary language change.”
Medieval South Asia
Hindi/Urdu
palaṅg
“A bedstead or bed.”
16th–17th Century
Portuguese
palanquim
“A covered litter or portable seat, borrowed from an Indian form related to Sanskrit paryaṅka.”
18th Century
English
palang
“A South Asian bedstead or low bed, recorded as an English loanword.”
Modern English
English
palang
“A bedstead, particularly in descriptions of South Asian furniture or culture.”
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