Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “otak-otak” come from?

otak-otak (English) comes from Malay otak-otak, from Malay otak, from Malay utak, from Proto-Malayic *u(n)tək, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *hutək,*qutək,*qutak.

otak-otak (English): Grilled fish cake wrapped inside a banana leaf; a...

Definitions

  1. Grilled fish cake wrapped inside a banana leaf; a...

Ancestry of “otak-otak”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Malayotak-otakplural of otak: brains; otak-otak
2Malayotakbrain
3MalayutakObsolete form of otak
4Proto-Malayic*u(n)tək—
5Proto-Malayo-Polynesian*hutək,*qutək,*qutak—
Every word from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *hutək,*qutək,*qutak →