A single-story house, typically with a wide veranda and low-pitched roof. Originally designed for tropical climates, the term now refers to any one-story residential building.
From Hindi बंगला (banglā) meaning 'belonging to Bengal', referring to the traditional single-story houses with verandas built by Europeans in Bengal during British colonial rule. The word entered English in the late 17th century through British colonial administrators and merchants who adopted this architectural style for tropical living.
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