satu (Indonesian)

Where does "satu" come from?

The Indonesian word 'satu', meaning 'one'[1], is inherited from Malay 'satu'[2]. This term ultimately traces back to Proto-Malayic, where it formed from the prefix '*sA-', meaning 'one', combined with '*batu', meaning 'stone'[1].

Open questions

• The derivation of the term from a combination of the prefix '*sA-' and '*batu' involves reconstructed proto-forms. [1] [2] [3]

Full etymology tree

• satu (Indonesian), 'one'
  • inherited satu (Malay), 'one'
    • compound *sA- (Proto-Malayic)
    • compound *batu (Proto-Malayic), 'stone'
      • inherited *batu (Proto-Malayo-Polynesian), 'rock; stone'
        • inherited *batu (Proto-Austronesian), 'rock; stone'

Ancestors

• satu (Malay)

Cognates and doublets

• sambatu (Saluan)

Descendants and derived words

• bersatu (Indonesian)
• bersatu (Indonesian)
• kesatu (Indonesian)
• kesatuan (Indonesian)
• kesatuan (Indonesian)
• menyatu (Indonesian)
• penyatuan (Indonesian)
• persatuan (Indonesian)
• satuan (Indonesian)
• satukan (Indonesian)

Sources

1. satu (Indonesian) - Wiktionary
2. satu (Malay) - Wiktionary
3. batu (Proto-Malayic) - Wiktionary

Updated August 2026

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Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris