empu

Indonesian

Etymology

From Malay empu, from Old Javanese empu, mpu, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *əmpu. Doublet of ampu.

Pronunciation

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

Noun

êmpu (first-person possessive empuku, second-person possessive empumu, third-person possessive empunya)

1. An honorific title applied to artists (especially craftsmen, as famous krismaker Empu Gandring) and scholars (or poets as Empu Tantular, Empu Sedah, Empu Panuluh) in ancient Javanese history.
2. (rare) maestro: a master in some art, especially a composer or conductor.

   Synonym: maestro

Alternative forms

• ampu

Derived terms

• empunya
• mengempu
• perempuan

 

Noun

êmpu (first-person possessive empuku, second-person possessive empumu, third-person possessive empunya)

1. head

   Synonyms: hulu, kepala

Derived terms

• empu jari
• empu kaki
• empu tangan

 

Further reading

• “empu” 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

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *əmpu. Doublet of ampu.

Pronunciation

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

Noun

empu (Jawi spelling امڤو, plural empu-empu, informal 1st possessive empuku, 2nd possessive empumu, 3rd possessive empunya)

1. owner, master
   1. An honorific title applied to artists (especially craftsmen, as famous krismaker Empu Gandring) and scholars (or poets as Empu Tantular, Empu Sedah, Empu Panuluh) in ancient Javanese history.

Derived terms

• empuan
• empunya
• mengempu
• perempuan

 

References

• Pijnappel, Jan (1875) “امڤو ĕmpoe”, in Maleisch-Hollandsch woordenboek, John Enschede en Zonen, Frederik Muller, pages 14-5
• Wilkinson, Richard James (1901) “امڤو ĕmpu”, in A Malay-English dictionary (romanised), Hong Kong: Kelly & Walsh limited, page 39
• Wilkinson, Richard James (1932) “ĕmpu”, in A Malay-English dictionary (romanised), volume I, Mytilene, Greece: Salavopoulos & Kinderlis, page 302

Further reading

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

Old Javanese

Etymology

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *əmpu.

Noun

empu

1. Alternative form of mpu

Descendants

• Indonesian: empu