Chowpaul

noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A kind of open Indian litter whose support pole is curved in a wide arch over the bed. historical

    "... the Chowpaul is the most ancient, and, as it were, the original from which all the other forms of palanquin may be traced; on this account it is used in all great ceremonies, marriages, processions, etc. The Chowpaul is simply a very light bed or sofa, over which a large bambou forms an arch. But as this is not a sufficient defence against the sun, it is always attended by a servant carrying a chata or parasol."

Example

More examples

"... the Chowpaul is the most ancient, and, as it were, the original from which all the other forms of palanquin may be traced; on this account it is used in all great ceremonies, marriages, processions, etc. The Chowpaul is simply a very light bed or sofa, over which a large bambou forms an arch. But as this is not a sufficient defence against the sun, it is always attended by a servant carrying a chata or parasol."

Etymology

Borrowed from Hindi चौपाल (caupāl).

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.