Kretek
from indonesia
Verified
Standard
noun
Loanword
From indonesia
Definition
A type of Indonesian cigarette with spice mixture
Etymology
An indigenous Indonesian onomatopoeic word mimicking the 'tek-tek' sound of cloves burning inside a cigarette. The term emerged in the early 20th century in Kudus, Central Java, to describe a unique cigarette blended with spices.
Semantic Category
Valid foreign words used within an Indonesian context (e.g., startup, gadget).
Loanword