ratan
9.9
A thin stick made from parts of a palm tree used for walking or to punish someone
- noun
- /ˈrætən/
- Indian
:
ratán
Examples
-
And if such a disaster could happen to the ratan, could it also happen to us?
Fiction book (1991) -
The craftsman used a ratan cane as a flexible support for his delicate artwork.
-
She carried a ratan walking stick that was beautifully woven and lightweight.
-
At the market, I found a long ratan to use for my gardening projects.
Synonyms
rattan
vsratan
1
7.7
A thin, flexible stick made from palm stems used to hit someone as punishment
is also used as a walking support rather than only for punishment
rattan cane
vsratan
1
5.2
A long thin flexible stem from a climbing palm used to make furniture or baskets
is mainly employed as a thin cane for whipping or personal support
Surface Forms
Etymology
The word ratan comes from the Malay word rotan, which names the long, strong palms found in parts of Southeast Asia. These palms bend easily and people use them to make 'canes', 'switches', and 'baskets', so ratan now means the thin cane or material used for walking sticks and woven goods.