Single-story houses, typically with a low-pitched roof and wide verandas. The plural of bungalow, referring to this specific architectural style originating in colonial India.
From Hindi 'banglā', meaning 'belonging to Bengal', referring to houses built in the Bengali style. British colonials adapted the term for single-story houses with wide verandas suited to hot climates. The word entered English in the late 17th century and spread globally as this practical architectural style was adopted worldwide.
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