bungalow [Indian bangla,=house], dwelling built in a style developed from that of a form of rural house in India. The original bungalow typically has one story, few rooms, and a maximum of cross drafts, with high ceilings, unusually large window and door openings, and verandas on all sides to shade the rooms from the intense light and tropical heat. Dwellings of this general type became popular in S California, with numerous differences in plan and materials, and were termed bungalows. The word thus came to be used for a cottage or for any small house with verandas covered by low, wide eaves.
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