Serai
/səˈraɪ/noun
A palace, mansion, or large enclosed building, especially in South Asia and the Middle East; also an inn or caravanserai.
Did you know?Serai entered English through Persian and Urdu, where related forms referred to a palace or inn, and it survives in the word caravanserai—a literal roadside refuge for traders and their animals.
Etymological Timeline
Persian
fa
sarāy
“A house, palace, or inn.”
Urdu
ur
sarāʾī
“An inn, lodge, or palace-like residence.”
16th–17th Century
English
serai
“A palace, residence, or inn in Asia or the Middle East.”
Modern English
English
serai
“A palace, mansion, or large building, especially in South Asian or Middle Eastern contexts.”