Prow
/praʊ/noun
The pointed front part of a ship.
Did you know?Prow comes from a Germanic word for the front or forepart, ultimately tied to the same ancient root behind words for “before” and “in front,” not a magical term but a pure directional relic of old seafaring speech.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*per-
“to go through, forward; in front”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*frami- / *framaz
“forward, onward; the front part”
Old English
OE
prāw / prā
“forepart, prow of a ship”
Middle English
ME
prow
“the forepart or bow of a ship”
Modern English
English
prow
“the pointed front part of a ship”