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The Collaborative International Dictionary
Dahabeah

Dahabeah \Da`ha*be"ah\ (d[aum]`h[.a]*b[=e]"[.a]), n. [Ar.] A Nile boat constructed on the model of a floating house, having large lateen sails.

Wiktionary
dahabeah

n. A Nile boat constructed on the model of a floating house, with large sails.

Wikipedia
Dahabeah

A dahabeah, also spelled dahabeeyah, dahabiah, dahabiya, dahabiyah and dhahabiyya, as well as dahabiyeh and dahabieh ( Arabic ذهبية /ðahabīya/), is a passenger boat used on the River Nile in Egypt. The term is normally used to describe a shallow-bottomed, barge-like vessel with two or more sails. The vessels have been around in one form or another for thousands of years, with similar craft being depicted on the walls of the tombs of Egyptian Pharaohs. Indeed, the name derives from the Arabic word for " gold", owing to similar, gilded state barges used by the Muslim rulers of Egypt in the Middle Ages.

Usage examples of "dahabeah".

This was remarked by occasional inspectors making their official rounds, and by more than one khowagah putting in with his dahabeah where the village maidens came to fill their water-jars.

Mother left civilization behind her, even a far outpost like Cairo, and went off up the Nile in a thing called a dahabeah, manned by native boatmen, and when letters came from queer-sounding ancient cities in the interior, Father got nervous.