Koewatir
/id/Source Language: The language or dialect this term originates from (ID).Indonesian•1 meaning found
Definition & Context
AdjectiveAdjective
A word or phrase naming an attribute, added to or grammatically related to a noun to modify or describe it.
To feel anxious, uneasy, or worried about something that has not yet occurred or is feared to happen. This word is the Van Ophuijsen orthography spelling of the modern Indonesian word “khawatir”.
Synonyms & Variants
cemas
cemas
A more general and neutral synonym in standard Indonesian.
synonym
gelisah
gelisah
Emphasizes both the physical and emotional aspects of unease, slightly stronger in intensity than `khawatir`.
synonym
khawatir
khawatir
Feeling anxious or fearful about the possibility of something bad happening.
Synonym
koewatir
koewatir
The spelling of 'khawatir' in the Van Ophuijsen Spelling System, which was in use before 1947.
Archaic
waswas
waswas
An excessive feeling of uneasiness or worry about something uncertain.
Register Variant
was-was
was-was
More colloquial in register and carries a nuance of recurring doubt.
synonym
bimbang
bimbang
Related to worry but more prominently highlights the aspect of indecision.
synonym
Usage Notes or Etymology
The word koewatir derives from the Arabic root khawf, meaning fear or anxiety, which entered Malay through the absorption of Arab-Islamic vocabulary. Under the Van Ophuijsen orthography officially adopted in the Dutch East Indies in 1901, the vowel phoneme /u/ was written as 'oe', giving rise to the spelling koewatir. Following the introduction of the Soewandi spelling system in 1947, the word was respelled as kuwatir, replacing 'oe' with 'u', though the initial consonant cluster was not yet standardized to 'kh'. It was not until the Perfected Spelling System (EYD) of 1972 that the word was officially standardized as khawatir, in accordance with the rules governing Arabic loanword absorption. The form koewatir was widely used in personal correspondence, newspapers, and Malay-Indonesian literary works during the colonial and early independence periods, reflecting the formal written register of that era.
Real-world Usage
Djangan koewatir, saja masi hidoep dan sehat. (Jangan khawatir, saya masih hidup dan sehat.)
English Translation
Representative of real-world usage and contextual accuracy.
Verified Evidence1
Boekoe Soerat-Soerat (TH. A. Du Mosch) - Halaman 203/204 Boekoe Soerat-Soerat (TH. A. Du Mosch) - Halaman 203/204
ImageliteratureVerify Context