A warehouse or storage building, especially in South and Southeast Asia. It is typically used for storing goods before shipping or distribution.
From Malay gudang meaning 'warehouse', which entered Hindi and other Indian languages through trade contacts. The word came into English in the 17th century through British and Dutch colonial trade in Southeast Asia and India. Some sources suggest Tamil கிடங்கு (kiṭaṅku) as an alternative origin.
Godowns were the nerve centers of Asian trade, where fortunes were made and lost based on monsoon timing and market prices! British merchants in Asia relied so heavily on these warehouses that 'godown' became standard commercial English throughout the colonial trading network.
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