Where does “matlamat” come from?

matlamat (Malay) comes from Malay mata, from Proto-Malayic mata, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian mata, from Proto-Austronesian mata, from Proto-Austronesian maCa — eye organ.

matlamat (Malay): goal, objective

Definitions

  1. goal, objective

Ancestry of “matlamat”, step by step

matlamat traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Malay mata

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Malaymataeye; edge; hole
2Proto-Malayicmataeye
3Proto-Malayo-Polynesianmataeye
4Proto-Austronesianmataeye
5Proto-AustronesianmaCaeye organ

via Malay alamat

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Malayalamataddress
2Arabicعَلَامَة—
Every word from Proto-Austronesian maCa →