KUCHING: “Alamak, otak-otak! We’ve officially made it into the Oxford English Dictionary!”
Who would have thought everyday words like ‘alamak’, ‘otak-otak’, and ‘mat rempit’ would one day be Oxford-approved?
Well, it’s official – 12 uniquely Malaysian and Singaporean words have found their way into the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) in its March 2025 update yesterday.
According to the OED, these words, commonly spoken in Malaysia and Singapore, have no direct English equivalent yet have seamlessly woven themselves into everyday conversations.
Their inclusion in the dictionary highlights how language evolves, embracing cultural diversity and regional influences.
One of the most notable additions is ‘alamak’, a word that expresses surprise, shock, dismay, or outrage.
First recorded in 1952, its origins remain debated, but linguistic scholars suggest it may stem from Arabic and Portuguese influences.
Theories point to aʿlā, meaning ‘higher’ or ‘exalted’ in Arabic, or Allah, meaning ‘God’ and another possibility is a connection to the Portuguese phrase Mãe de Deus (‘Mother of God’), which could have blended into local Malay usage over time.
Beyond expressions, food has also made a strong appearance in the OED’s latest update, with several beloved Southeast Asian dishes now officially recognised.
Ketupat, first recorded in 1886, refers to a small rice cake boiled in a pouch of woven palm leaves, originating in Indonesia but also popular in Brunei, Malaysia, and Singapore.
The ever-popular ‘nasi lemak’, a Malay dish of rice cooked in coconut milk and flavoured with pandan leaf, served with various garnishes (such as cucumber slices, fried fish, roasted peanuts, cooked egg, and sambal), has also earned a place in the dictionary, cementing its status as a staple breakfast across the region.
Another beloved breakfast addition is ‘kaya’, a jam made from coconut milk, eggs, and sugar, usually flavoured with pandan leaf, often paired with ‘kaya toast’, a sandwich consisting of two slices of toasted bread spread with butter and kaya.
The humble yet comforting ‘half-boiled egg’, an egg which has been cooked briefly in freshly boiled water such that the yolk and the white remain runny, then cracked open and served in a bowl, seasoned with dark soy sauce and white pepper, has also secured a spot.
Meanwhile, the Cantonese term ‘tapau’, meaning to take away or pack up food, has now been immortalised in the English language which shows a common dining practice in Malaysia and Singapore.
Beyond food, other culturally significant words have made the cut.
‘Otak-otak’, a dish of ground fish mixed with spices and coconut milk, wrapped in banana or palm leaves, and cooked by steaming or grilling, joins ‘fish head curry’ and ‘steamboat’, as new additions to the OED.
Language reflecting social identities and subcultures has also been recognised.
‘Mat rempit’, a term referring to young motorcyclists who engage in illegal street racing and dangerous stunts, now officially holds a place in the English lexicon.
The word terror has also made its way in, uniquely used in Malaysian English to mean both amazing and terrible depending on context.
The OED said that for a word to be considered, it must have accumulated a substantial number of independent references over time, proving its widespread and sustained use.
With these latest additions, Malaysian and Singaporean English continue to leave their mark on the global linguistic landscape—one ‘tapau’ at a time.
Here is the full list:
alamak, int.
fish head curry, n.
half-boiled egg, n.
kaya, n.2
kaya toast, n.
ketupat, n.
mat rempit, n.
nasi lemak, n.
otak-otak, n.
steamboat, n.
tapau, v.
terror, adj.
