Where does “merdeka” come from?
merdeka (Indonesian) comes from Malay merdeka, from Classical Malay مرديكا, from Sanskrit महर्द्धिक, from Sanskrit महा, from Proto-Indo-Aryan maźʰā́, from Proto-Indo-Iranian maȷ́ʰā́, from Proto-Indo-European méǵh₂s — big, great.
merdeka (Indonesian): free; independent
Definitions
- free; independent
Ancestry of “merdeka”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malay | merdeka | free; the state of being liberated; independent;... |
| 2 | Classical Malay | مرديكا | — |
| 3 | Sanskrit | महर्द्धिक | very prosperous; very powerful; very sage |
| 4 | Sanskrit | महा | combining form of महत्; buffalo; great, large,... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-Aryan | maźʰā́ | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-Iranian | maȷ́ʰā́ | big, great |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | méǵh₂s | big, great |