Mid 19th century (in an earlier sense). From classical Latin prōra prow of a ship, ship, in post-classical Latin also anterior part (of the head, skull, or brain) from ancient Greek πρῷρα forepart of a ship, prow, perhaps representing a feminine form corresponding to ancient Greek πρών foreland, headland, if this is from an ablaut variant (zero-grade) of the Indo-European base of ancient Greek προ-.