Where does “pamantasan” come from?

pamantasan (Tagalog) comes from Tagalog pantas, from Malay pantas, from Old Javanese pantes — fitting, appropriate.

pamantasan (Tagalog): university

Definitions

  1. university

Ancestry of “pamantasan”, step by step

pamantasan traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Tagalog pantas

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Tagalogpantassage; wise man; scholar
2Malaypantasquick; fast
3Old Javanesepantesfitting, appropriate

via Tagalog pam- -an

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Tagalogpam- -anfor roots with initials and, which will usually have them removed
Every word from Old Javanese pantes →Every word from Malay pantas →Every word from Tagalog pantas →
pamantasan — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer