Meanings
nounpenghulu (plural penghulus)
plural penghulus
- A local chief or governor in parts of Malaysia and Indonesia.First known use 18th c.
As soon as she graduated, Anwar Sadat dragged her and the classmate said to be responsible to a penghulu, who could officiate at the wedding.
2015, Eka Kurniawan, translated by Labodalih Sembiring, Man Tiger, Verso, page 171 more example
Outdated provisions such as the appointment of forest rangers and penghulus to carry out duties, which are no longer relevant to modern Singapore, will also be removed.
2022 November 30, Rahayu Mahzam, “Second Reading Speech by Senior Parl Sec, Mdm Rahayu Mahzam, on State Lands Protection Bill”, in Ministry of Law (Singapore)
Origin
Unadapted borrowing from Malay penghulu.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
penghulu. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/penghulu
MLA
“penghulu.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/penghulu. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “penghulu,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/penghulu.
Source: penghulu on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.