kupu-kupu

Brunei Malay

Etymology

Reduplication of kupu. Compare Malay kupu-kupu.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ku.pu.ku.pu/

Noun

kupu-kupu

1. butterfly
2. moth

Synonyms

• kulimambang
• rama-rama

Indonesian

kupu-kupu

Etymology

From Malay kupu-kupu.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈkupu ˈkupu]

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

kupu-kupu (first-person possessive kupu-kupuku, second-person possessive kupu-kupumu, third-person possessive kupu-kupunya)

1. butterfly

Synonyms

• rama-rama (“butterfly”)

Derived terms

• kupu-kupu gajah
• kupu-kupu malam
• kupu-kupu padi
• kupu-kupu sutra

 

Related terms

• ngengat (“moth”)

Further reading

• “kupu-kupu” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016.

Malay

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kupu kupu/
• Rhymes: -upu, -pu, -u

Noun

kupu-kupu (Jawi spelling کوڤو٢, informal 1st possessive kupu-kupuku, 2nd possessive kupu-kupumu, 3rd possessive kupu-kupunya)

1. butterfly
2. (colloquial, nonstandard) moth

Related terms

• beluncas (“caterpillar”)
• rama-rama (“moth / butterfly”)

Descendants

• → Macanese: copo-copo

Further reading

• “kupu-kupu” in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu | Malay Literary Reference Centre, Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017.