parang

[ pahr-ahng ]

noun

1. a large, heavy knife used as a tool or a weapon in Malaysia and Indonesia.

parang

/ ˈpɑːræŋ /

noun

1. a short stout straight-edged knife used by the Dyaks of Borneo

Word History and Origins

Origin of parang¹

Borrowed into English from Malay around 1850–55

Word History and Origins

Origin of parang¹

C19: from Malay

Example Sentences

Houses and malls in the Trinidadian capital Port of Spain are festively decorated and the steelpan drums and maracas of local parang carols drift from radios and television sets.

From The Guardian

Growing up in Trinidad to a musical family, Etienne Charles was exposed to three song traditions around Christmastime: the singing of church hymns, calypsos and parang, Venezuelan folk songs about the nativity sung in Spanish.

From Washington Post

We hired a guide who led us up and down a sodden trail, a foot-long blade called a parang hanging from a scabbard at his hip.

From New York Times

“It would take strong men with parangs, and I am only a weak girl with a kris.”

From Project Gutenberg

The friendly Shom Peṅ are energetic collectors of rattan, which they trade with the Nicobarese, and so obtain garments, beads, knives, parangs, axes, and tobacco, which is smoked in the form of cigarettes.

From Project Gutenberg