Where does “laki-laki” come from?
laki-laki (Indonesian) comes from Malay laki-laki, from Malay laki, from Old Malay lāki, from Proto-Malayic *laki, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *laki.
laki-laki (Indonesian): male; boy
Ancestry of “laki-laki”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Malay | laki-laki | Alternative form of lelaki; male; boy |
| 2 | Malay | laki | husband; male |
| 3 | Old Malay | lāki | — |
| 4 | Proto-Malayic | *laki | — |
| 5 | Proto-Malayo-Polynesian | *laki | — |