prōra, ae (collat. form prōris; acc. prorim, Att. ap. Non. 200, 33, or Trag. 575), f., = πρώρα.
I The forepart of a ship , the prow (opp. puppis, the stern; class.): astitit prorae, Plaut. Merc. 1, 2, 65; Lucr. 2, 554: prorae admodum erectae, Caes. B. G. 3, 13: rostrata, Plin. 9, 30, 49, § 94: terris advertere proram, Verg. G. 4, 117; id. A. 6, 3; 7, 35: prorae tutela Melanthus, i. e. the lookout stationed at the prow , = proreta, Ov. M. 3, 617: suspensa prora navim in puppim statuebat, Liv. 24, 34: prorae litore illisae, id. 22, 20; Luc. 9, 1082; Stat. Th. 5, 335.—Prov.: mihi prora et puppis, ut Graecorum proverbium est, fuit a me tui dimittendi, ut rationes nostras explicares, i. e. my intention from beginning to end , my whole design , Gr. πρώρα καὶ πρύμνη, Cic. Fam. 16, 24, 1.—
II Poet., transf., a ship : quot prius aeratae steterant ad litora prorae, Verg. A. 10, 223; Ov. M. 14, 164.