front part of a vessel or aircraft; "he pointed the bow of the boat toward the finish line"

the fore-part of a ship frequently found on both Republican and Imperial coins was a symbol of Rome's naval power.

The bow of a ship.

old name for stem or bows

The part of the bow forward of where it leaves the waterline.

The front edge of the ship, running from bow to keel. (See rigging illustration.)

Prow, the fore part of a ship, the stem and its surrounding parts, hence used like keel, by metonymy, of the ship itself. It is often depicted in movies with carved figurehead in the form of a mermaid or other similar figure. Prow is often confused with the bow of the ship.