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Indonesian

ihn-duh-NEE-zhuhn

Indonesian (adjective) means relating to Indonesia, its people, or its language. Example: “She cooked an Indonesian dish full of chili and coconut milk.”

adjective
1
Relating to Indonesia, its people, or its language.
"She cooked an Indonesian dish full of chili and coconut milk."
noun
1
A person from Indonesia.
"Many Indonesians speak a regional language at home alongside Indonesian."
2
The national language of Indonesia.
"Indonesian is closely related to Malay."

How to use Indonesian

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishFrom, or relating to, Indonesia — the country, its people, or its language.

Word forms

more Indonesian comparative, Indonesians plural, most Indonesian superlative

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Test yourself on “Indonesian” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

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Can you complete this real example?

She cooked an _____ dish full of chili and coconut milk.

Etymology

From Indonesia plus the suffix -an.

Bahasa Indonesia

Rhymes for Indonesian

See all rhymes for Indonesian →

Frequently asked questions

What does “Indonesian” mean?

The word “Indonesian” means relating to Indonesia, its people, or its language. In plain terms, from, or relating to, Indonesia — the country, its people, or its language.

How do you pronounce “Indonesian”?

“Indonesian” is pronounced ihn-duh-NEE-zhuhn (/ˌɪndəˈniːʒən/ in IPA).

How do you use “Indonesian” in a sentence?

Here is “Indonesian” used in a sentence: “She cooked an Indonesian dish full of chili and coconut milk.”

What is another word for “Indonesian”?

Words with a similar meaning to “Indonesian” include Bahasa Indonesia.

What part of speech is “Indonesian”?

Depending on how it is used, “Indonesian” can be an adjective and a noun.

Is “Indonesian” a common word?

“Indonesian” is a fairly common word in modern English.

How many meanings does “Indonesian” have?

“Indonesian” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: relating to Indonesia, its people, or its language.

What is the difference between "Indonesian" and "Malay"?

Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia) and Malay are closely related languages that grew from the same roots and are largely mutually intelligible. Indonesian is the standardised national language of Indonesia, while Malay is the national language of Malaysia and has its own standard form.

Is "Indonesian" the same as "Bahasa"?

"Bahasa" simply means "language" in Indonesian, so calling the language just "Bahasa" is imprecise. The full and correct name is "Bahasa Indonesia," meaning "the Indonesian language."

Does "Indonesian" refer to a language or a nationality?

"Indonesian" can be both. As a noun it names either a person from Indonesia or the country's national language, and as an adjective it describes anything relating to Indonesia, its people, or its language.

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