Minyak
/ˈmɪn.jæk/noun
An aromatic or medicinal oil, especially one used in Malay and Indonesian traditional practice.
Did you know?Minyak belongs to an Austronesian vocabulary layer shared across island Southeast Asia, revealing how maritime communities spread not only technology but also words for valuable oils.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Malayo-Polynesian
PMP
*minyak
“Reconstructed word for oil”
Early Austronesian period
Austronesian
*minyak
“Oil or an oily substance; the term spread through maritime Southeast Asia”
Old Javanese period
Old Javanese
minyak
“Oil, especially a substance used for practical or ceremonial purposes”
Classical Malay
Malay
minyak
“Oil; grease; fragrant or medicinal oil”
19th–20th Century
Indonesian and Malay
minyak
“Oil, including cooking oil, petroleum, and scented or therapeutic oil”
Modern English
English
minyak
“An aromatic or medicinal oil associated with Malay and Indonesian traditions”
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