scow
UK[skaʊ]US[skaʊ]
n
a wide, flat-bottomed boat with square ends, used chiefly for transporting bulk material.
Etymology
the word 'scow' entered english in the mid-17th century from the dutch word 'schouw', meaning a ferryboat or a type of flat-bottomed boat. the dutch term itself is related to the middle low german 'schalde' and the old high german 'scald', both referring to a type of flat vessel or punt. the core logic of the word is tied directly to its function and design—a flat, barge-like boat for shallow waters—a meaning it has retained faithfully from its germanic origins into modern english nautical terminology.
Analysis
this word is a simplex loanword. it does not break into meaningful sub-parts using its modern english spelling.
Examples
the workers loaded sand and gravel onto the scow for transport across the river.
the old scow was tied to the dock, its flat hull resting in the mud at low tide.
they used a scow as a stable platform for the diving operation.