Meanings
nounsurau (plural suraus)
plural suraus
- IslamA small mosque or other Islamic assembly building in parts of Sumatra and the Malay peninsula.
He knew the sound so well he didn't bother to turn his head. It was even more familiar than the sound of the surau’s drum that beat five times a day.
2015, Eka Kurniawan, translated by Labodalih Sembiring, Man Tiger, Verso, page 2 - MalaysiaIslamA small room in any public place where Muslims pray.
The men's surau can be found at the left of the clock store.
Synonyms & antonyms
Similar
Origin
- Sanskritसुरौकस्“abode of the gods”
- Malaysurau
- Englishsurau
From Malay surau, possibly from Sanskrit सुरौकस् (suraukas, “abode of the gods”).
More words from Malay, Sanskrit
Full word history & related roots →Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
APA
surau. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/surau
MLA
“surau.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/surau. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “surau,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/surau.
Source: surau on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.