Where does “Malaysia” come from?
Malaysia (Malay) comes from English Malaysia, from English Malay, from Malay Melayu, from Malay Malayu, from Old Javanese layū, from Proto-Sunda-Sulawesi lariw, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian laʀiw, from Proto-Austronesian laʀiw.
Ancestry of “Malaysia”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | Malaysia | — |
| 2 | English | Malay | Of or relating to the Malays, a people living in... |
| 3 | Malay | Melayu | Malay |
| 4 | Malay | Malayu | — |
| 5 | Old Javanese | layū | — |
| 6 | Proto-Sunda-Sulawesi | lariw | — |
| 7 | Proto-Malayo-Polynesian | laʀiw | — |
| 8 | Proto-Austronesian | laʀiw | — |