A tropical tree native to Australia and the Pacific region, known for its hard wood used in construction and shipbuilding.
From Malay karabia or similar Austronesian languages, referring to the tree species Intsia bijuga. The word entered English through maritime trade in Southeast Asia during the colonial period.
This wood was so prized by shipbuilders that entire trade routes were established to acquire it—European navies literally sailed around the world partly to get better materials for their ships!
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