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caravansary

 - 2 dictionary results

car⋅a⋅van⋅sa⋅ry

  [kar-uh-van-suh-ree]
Use caravansary in a Sentence
–noun, plural -ries.
1. (in the Near East) an inn, usually with a large courtyard, for the overnight accommodation of caravans.
2. any large inn or hotel.
Also, car⋅a⋅van⋅se⋅rai  [kar-uh-van-suh-rahy, -rey] .

Origin:
1590–1600; < F caravanserai < Pers kārwānsarāy, equiv. to kārwān caravan + sarāy mansion, inn

Related forms:
car⋅a⋅van⋅se⋅ri⋅al  [kar-uh-van-seer-ee-uhl] , adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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car·a·van·sa·ry   (kār'ə-vān'sə-rē)   
n.   pl. car·a·van·sa·ries also car·a·van·se·rais In both senses also called serai.

  1. An inn built around a large court for accommodating caravans along trade routes in central and western Asia.

  2. A large inn or hostelry.


[French caravanserai, from Persian kārvānsarāy : kārvān, caravan + sarāy, camp, palace; see terə-2 in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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