a Buddhist monastic center in Thailand, Laos, or Cambodia
Word origin
Thai < Sans vāta, enclosed area
wat in American English
(wɑːt)
noun
a Buddhist temple or monastery in Thailand or Cambodia
Word origin
[1870–75; ‹ Thai ‹ Skt vāṭa enclosure]This word is first recorded in the period 1870–75. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: Mafia, giveaway, onshore, upgrade, washout