Agung
/aˈɡuŋ/noun
A large bossed gong used in traditional musical ensembles of the Philippines and parts of Island Southeast Asia.
Did you know?Among the Maguindanao and Maranao peoples, agung gongs can mark ceremonies, accompany dances, and function as powerful symbols of status and communal identity.
Etymological Timeline
Old Javanese
Old Javanese
agung
“Great, grand, or exalted”
Classical Malay period
Malay
agung
“Great, supreme, or majestic”
Precolonial Southeast Asia
Philippine languages
agung
“A large gong used in traditional ensembles”
19th–20th Century
English
agung
“A Philippine gong, especially one used in kulintang music”
Modern English
English
agung
“A large bossed gong of the Philippines and neighboring musical traditions”
Explore more surprising origins