caravan

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caravan company travelling through the desert; fleet of ships XVI; covered carriage or cart XVII. Mainly — F. caravane — Pers. kārwān, but some early forms (e.g. carouan) repr. the Pers. directly.
So caravanserai Eastern inn. XVI. ult. — Pers. kārwānsarāī (sarā(ī) palace, inn), but the various early forms repr. more or less closely F. caravanséraï, etc.

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