Bugis

B3U1G2I1S1
UK/ˈbuːɡɪs/Singapore/ˈbʊɡɪs/

noun

A member of a people of southern Sulawesi.

UncommonFirst used 17th c.Scrabble 8

Meanings

noun

alternative obsolete Bugi · alternative obsolete Buggess · alternative obsolete Buggass · alternative obsolete Bugess · alternative obsolete Bugass

  1. pluralplural of Bugi.
nounBugis (plural Bugis)

alternative obsolete Bugi · alternative obsolete Buggess · alternative obsolete Buggass · alternative obsolete Bugess · alternative obsolete Bugass

  1. A member of a people of southern Sulawesi.First known use 17th c.

    Synonyms: Bugi

proper noun

alternative obsolete Bugi · alternative obsolete Buggess · alternative obsolete Buggass · alternative obsolete Bugess · alternative obsolete Bugass

  1. The Malayo-Polynesian language spoken by these people.First known use 19th c.
  2. A district in central Singapore, around a street of the same name.
adjectiveBugis (comparative more Bugis, superlative most Bugis)

comparative more Bugis · superlative most Bugis · alternative obsolete Bugi · alternative obsolete Buggess · alternative obsolete Buggass · alternative obsolete Bugess · alternative obsolete Bugass

  1. Pertaining to the Bugis or their language.First known use 19th c.

    The tattered and browned cowhide Bugis map […] has place names in Bugis script and records sea depths.

    2020, Sujit Sivasundaram, Waves Across the South, William Collins, published 2021, page 13

    Synonyms: Buginese

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA member of a people of southern Sulawesi.

Similar

adjectivePertaining to the Bugis or their language.

Similar

Origin

  1. Bugineseᨓᨘᨁᨗ
  2. Proto-South Sulawesi**Bugis
  3. Makasarᨅᨘᨁᨗᨔᨗ
  4. MalayBugis
  5. EnglishBugis

From Malay Bugis, from Makasar ᨅᨘᨁᨗᨔᨗ (Bugisi'), probably from Proto-South Sulawesi **Bugis or Buginese ᨓᨘᨁᨗ (Wugi'), ᨕᨘᨁᨗ (Ugi'), ᨕᨚᨁᨗ (Ogi') (a self-designation). Cognate with Mandar Bugis, Toraja-Sa'dan Bugi'.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

Bugis. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Bugis

MLA

“Bugis.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Bugis. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Bugis,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Bugis.

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