Words With Malay & Tagalog Origins

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27 Words

1 ate An older sister, or a respectful way of addressing a woman who is older than you, even if she is not a blood r...
2 boonies A remote, rural, or unfashionable area, far from any city (informal); short for "boondocks."
3 caddy A small box or container used to hold and organize items, such as tea, cutlery, or cleaning supplies.
4 chandu Opium that has been prepared specifically for smoking.
5 durian A large tropical fruit from Southeast Asia, covered in a thick, spiky husk, prized by fans for its rich, custa...
6 gabi Taro, a tropical plant grown for its starchy underground corm, which looks a bit like a potato.
7 godown A warehouse, especially in South or Southeast Asia.
8 gong A large metal disc that produces a deep, resonant sound when struck with a mallet.
9 Himalayan Relating to the Himalayas, the mountain range in Asia.
10 Kati An uncommon modern spelling of Katie, itself a diminutive of Katherine.
11 kris A traditional dagger or short sword from Southeast Asia, often recognizable by its wavy, flame-like blade.
12 Malay Relating to the Malay people, an ethnic group native to the Malay Peninsula and parts of nearby islands.
13 Malayalam A language spoken mainly in the Indian state of Kerala.
14 Malaysia A country in Southeast Asia made up of a peninsular region and part of the island of Borneo.
15 Malaysian Relating to the country of Malaysia.
16 Manila The capital city of the Philippines.
17 Nair A member of a group of Hindu castes from Kerala, in southern India.
18 orangutan A large, tree-dwelling ape with shaggy reddish-brown fur and long arms, native to Borneo and Sumatra.
19 paddy A flooded field used for growing rice.
20 Phuket Thailand's largest island and the province that shares its name, a major beach and diving destination in the A...
21 puto A small steamed rice cake, often slightly sweet, popular in Filipino cuisine and usually eaten as a snack or s...
22 Sakai A member of a certain people of Malaya.
23 sia A sentence-ending word (from Singlish/Malay) used to express frustration, shock, exhaustion, or exasperation.
24 simi Used in some varieties of English (influenced by Chinese "what") to mean "what" or "what kind of."
25 suki A regular customer who gets preferential treatment from a vendor.
26 suman A Filipino rice cake made from glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk, typically wrapped in a leaf.
27 Timor An island in Southeast Asia, split between Indonesia and East Timor.