Arwah
/ˈɑːr.wɑːh/noun
A Malay and Indonesian term referring to spirits or the souls of the dead, especially in religious or commemorative contexts.
Did you know?In Classical Arabic, arwāḥ is the plural of rūḥ, meaning “spirit,” “soul,” or literally the breath of life; Malay and Indonesian use arwah especially when referring to deceased people.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*rūḥ-
“Breath, wind, or animating spirit”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
rūḥ
“Spirit, soul, breath, or divine life-force”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
arwāḥ
“Spirits or souls; the plural of rūḥ”
Medieval period
Arabic
arwāḥ
“Souls or spirits, especially in Islamic religious vocabulary”
Malay literary period
Malay
arwah
“The spirit or soul of a deceased person; deceased people collectively”
Modern period
Indonesian/Malay
arwah
“The soul or spirit of the dead, often invoked in prayers or memorial observances”