terai

noun

te·​rai tə-ˈrī How to pronounce terai (audio)
: a wide-brimmed double felt sun hat worn especially in subtropical regions

Word History

Etymology

by ellipsis from Terai hat, after Terai, Tarai (Hindi Tarāī, Nepali Taraī), grassland and marsh belt between the Himalayan foothills and the plains of the Indus and Ganges

First Known Use

1888, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of terai was in 1888

Dictionary Entries Near terai

Cite this Entry

“Terai.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/terai. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!