Mat Salleh

Malay

Etymology

  • Perhaps a spelling variant of mat salih, from mat (“a colloquial term for a specific person”) +‎ salih (“weird”). Influenced, via folk etymology, by Salleh (a person name).
  • Perhaps borrowed from English mad sailor, referring to unruly, drunk British sailors who fought at ports and a euphemism used by the colonial British authorities.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /mat saleh/
  • (Johor-Riau) IPA(key): [mät̚ säle̞h, -eh, -ɪh]

Noun

Mat Salleh

  1. (slang) white person, usually a male.
    Synonym: orang putih
    Antonym: Minah Salleh (a white woman)
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