Malaysia
/ˌmeɪ.ləˈziː.ə/noun
A country in Southeast Asia consisting of Peninsular Malaysia and East Malaysia on the island of Borneo.
Did you know?The name Malaysia was coined in the 19th century from Malaya plus the Greek-derived nation-name suffix -sia, echoing the older ethnonym Malay, which ultimately goes back to a regional identity rather than any occult or magical root.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient/early regional usage
Austronesian/Regional
Melayu / Malayu
“An early regional ethnonym and place-name in Sumatra or the Malay world.”
Classical era
Sanskrit
Malayu
“A name used in South Asian texts for a people, region, or mountain association in Southeast Asia.”
16th-19th Century
Portuguese/English
Malaya
“A European form referring to the Malay Peninsula and its peoples.”
19th Century
English
Malaysia
“A coined name for the Malay lands, modeled with the suffix -sia.”
20th Century
English
Malaysia
“The modern national name adopted for the federation formed in 1963.”