English
Merdeka
Merdeka comes from Indonesian merdeka ‘free from oppression’, from Sanskrit महर्द्धिक ‘very prosperous’, and ultimately from ऋध्.
- Sanskritc. 1500–500 BCEऋध्ṛdh‘to prosper, succeed’
- Sanskrit, derivedc. 1500–500 BCEऋद्धिṛddhi‘prosperity, affluence, good fortune, wealth’
- Sanskrit, derivedc. 1500–500 BCEमहर्द्धिकmaharddhika‘very prosperous’
- Malaymodernmerdeheka
- Malay, derivedmodernmerdeka‘free’
- Indonesianmodernsame form‘free from oppression’
- Englishearliest quotation 1946Merdeka
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Sanskritc. 1500–500 BCEऋध्ṛdh‘to prosper, succeed’
- Sanskrit, derivedc. 1500–500 BCEऋद्धिṛddhi‘prosperity, affluence, good fortune, wealth’
- Sanskrit, derivedc. 1500–500 BCEमहर्द्धिकmaharddhika‘very prosperous’
- Malaymodernmerdeheka
- Malay, derivedmodernmerdeka‘free’
- Indonesianmodernsame form‘free from oppression’
- Englishearliest quotation 1946Merdeka
Earliest quotation: 1946, P. Madhavan Nair, Indonesia: The Land of Promise: “The Indonesian struggle is being watched with intense interest…”
A compound of महा + ऋद्धि ‘prosperity, wealth’
Proto-Indo-European *h₂eldʰ-
Sanskrit ऋध् ‘to accomplish’
Sanskrit ऋद्धि ‘prosperity, wealth’
Every English word from Sanskrit ऋध्
Today it means
noun Chiefly of a nation or people: freedom; independence.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Sanskrit ऋध् / Merdeka