Malay

noun

1
: a member of a people of the Malay Peninsula, eastern Sumatra, parts of Borneo, and some adjacent islands
2
: the Austronesian language of the Malays
Malay adjective
Malayan
mə-ˈlā-ən How to pronounce Malay (audio)
mā-;
ˈmā-ˌlā-
noun or adjective

Examples of Malay in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The tropical island country is off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula in Southeast Asia. Bryan West, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2024 It was listed for $35 million and represented by Brandie Malay Siavelis of @properties Christie's International Real Estate. Alex Groth, Journal Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2024 All were founded by talents from the Cape Malay community, a South African ethnic group with a huge impact on the city's cultural life. Sarah Khan, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Feb. 2024 Due to its extraordinary therapeutic properties, Red Malay is one of the red vein kratom strains that Southeast Asians have been using Red Malay Kratom for centuries. Sponsored Content, The Mercury News, 16 Feb. 2024 Both prisoners wore traditional tunics and trousers to court and sat mostly silently in court listening to the proceedings through Malay translation. Carol Rosenberg, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2024 Picture a historical novel set on the Malay Peninsula during the 1940s. Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 28 Dec. 2023 True to its name, H. maxi is also on the larger end of the new species of soft-furred hedgehogs at 5.5 inches and can be found in mountainous regions on the Malay Peninsula and in Sumatra. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 21 Dec. 2023 The Malay elites had received their authority to rule from the Brunei Sultanate, given their inroads in the region and control over the waterways. Matt Hrodey, Discover Magazine, 29 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Malay.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

obsolete Dutch Malayo (now Maleier), from Malay Mĕlayu

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Malay was in 1598

Dictionary Entries Near Malay

Cite this Entry

“Malay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Malay. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

Malay

noun
plural Malays
1
: a member of a people of the Malay Peninsula and neighboring islands
2
: the language of the Malay people
Malay adjective
Malayan
mə-ˈlā-ən How to pronounce Malay (audio)
ˈmā-ˌlā-
adjective or noun

More from Merriam-Webster on Malay

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!