A heavy, durable hardwood tree (Neobalanocarpus heimii) native to Southeast Asia, prized for construction and shipbuilding.
From Malay cengal, the local name for this valuable timber tree in Malaysia and surrounding regions. The word entered English through colonial trading.
Chengal wood is so dense and rot-resistant that old colonial buildings in Malaysia are still standing after 200+ years—and it's expensive enough that sustainable harvesting has become a major conservation issue.
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