Malacañang

Philippines/mɐ.lɐ.kɐˈɲaŋ/

proper noun

the official residence and workplace of the president of the Philippines

OriginSpanish Malacañán ← Tagalog mamalakayahan →
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Meanings

proper noun

alternative Malacañan

  1. the official residence and workplace of the president of the Philippines
  2. PhilippinePhilippinesmetonymicallygovernmentthe Philippine presidency and its administration; the Philippine government

Origin

  1. Tagalogmay lakan diyan
  2. Tagalogmamalakayahan
  3. SpanishMalacañán
  4. EnglishMalacañang

From Spanish Malacañán, from Tagalog mamalakayahan, from mamalakaya+han, ultimately from lakaya. A common folk etymology is it was derived from Tagalog may lakan diyan. The final -g was added to the name during the American colonial era (1898-1946).

More words from Spanish, Tagalog

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 馬拉坎南 /马拉坎南, 馬拉干鄢
  • 馬拉坎南 /马拉坎南official residence of the president of the Philippines
  • 馬拉干鄢official residence of the president of the Philippines
Spanish Malacañán
  • Malacañánofficial residence of the president of the Philippines
Tagalog Malakanyang
  • Malakanyangofficial residence of the president of the Philippines
Cite this entry
APA

Malacañang. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Malaca%C3%B1ang

MLA

“Malacañang.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Malaca%C3%B1ang. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Malacañang,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Malaca%C3%B1ang.

Source: Malacañang on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.