Pontianak
name, noun
name, noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A female vampiric ghost in Malaysian and Indonesian mythology, said to be the spirit of a woman who died while pregnant. countable
"One of the most fearsome creatures of Malay folklore is the pontianak."
- 2 Alternative form of pontianac (“fossil resin”). alt-of, alternative, countable, uncountable
Proper Noun
- 1 The capital and largest city of West Kalimantan, Indonesia.
Example
More examples"One of the most fearsome creatures of Malay folklore is the pontianak."
Etymology
Etymology 1
Borrowed from Malay puntianak.
Etymology 2
From Indonesian Pontianak, named for the pontianaks which were popularly thought to have once inhabited the site.