Where does “macam mana” come from?

macam mana (Malay) comes from Malay macam, from Arabic مقام, from Persian مقام, from Arabic مَقَام — place, position, state.

macam mana (Malay): how

Definitions

  1. how

Ancestry of “macam mana”, step by step

macam mana traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Malay macam

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Malaymacamlike; type, kind, sort; way
2Arabicمقامplace, spot
3Persianمقامplace, position, dignity, rank, office
4Arabicمَقَامplace, position, state

via Malay manâ

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Malaymanâwhere interrogative: at or in what place. Incomplete without
Every word from Arabic مَقَامEvery word from Persian مقامEvery word from Arabic مقام