name
Common
Malaysia
muh-LAY-zhuh
Malaysia (name) means a country in Southeast Asia made up of a peninsular region and part of the island of Borneo. Example: “Kuala Lumpur is the capital of Malaysia.”
name
1
A country in Southeast Asia made up of a peninsular region and part of the island of Borneo.
"Kuala Lumpur is the capital of Malaysia."
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like Malaysia.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Kuala Lumpur is the capital of _____.
Etymology
Coined by 19th-century British geographers from "Malay" plus -sia, roughly meaning "land of the Malays"; popularly (though inaccurately) explained as an extension of the earlier name "Malaya."
Class of 1800
Malaysia joined the language around 1800.
See the full Class of 1800 →
Rhymes for Malaysia
See all rhymes for Malaysia →Frequently asked questions
What does “Malaysia” mean?
The word “Malaysia” means a country in Southeast Asia made up of a peninsular region and part of the island of Borneo.
How do you pronounce “Malaysia”?
“Malaysia” is pronounced muh-LAY-zhuh (/məˈleɪ̯ʒə/ in IPA).
How do you use “Malaysia” in a sentence?
Here is “Malaysia” used in a sentence: “Kuala Lumpur is the capital of Malaysia.”
What part of speech is “Malaysia”?
“Malaysia” is a name.
Where does the word “Malaysia” come from?
The word “Malaysia” dates back to around 1800 and comes from Malay. Coined by 19th-century British geographers from "Malay" plus -sia, roughly meaning "land of the Malays"; popularly (though inaccurately) explained as an extension of the earlier name "Malaya.".
Is “Malaysia” a common word?
“Malaysia” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the capital of "Malaysia"?
The capital of Malaysia is Kuala Lumpur, which is also its largest city. The administrative centre of the federal government is the planned city of Putrajaya.
What is the difference between "Malaysia" and "Malaya"?
"Malaya" referred to the peninsular territory before independence and federation, while "Malaysia" is the modern country that also includes territories on the island of Borneo. The two names are related but not interchangeable.
What is the difference between "Malaysia" and "Malaysian"?
"Malaysia" is the name of the country, while "Malaysian" is the adjective and the word for a person from Malaysia. You would say "Malaysian food" or "she is Malaysian."
What language is spoken in "Malaysia"?
The official language of Malaysia is Malay, known locally as Bahasa Malaysia. English is also widely used, and languages such as Chinese and Tamil are spoken by different communities.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include Malaysia:
