kelima

Kelima is the Indonesian and Malay word for the ordinal meaning “the fifth.” It functions as an adjective before a noun to indicate position in a sequence, or as a noun referring to the fifth item itself. In standard Indonesian, a common sequence of ordinals is pertama, kedua, ketiga, keempat, kelima, keenam, and so on. Kelima is used across formal and everyday language.

In practice, kelima is attached to a noun as in orang kelima (the fifth person) or anggota kelima (the fifth member). It can also appear in fixed expressions such as sila kelima, meaning the fifth principle in a set like Pancasila. When the context calls for specificity, phrases like yang kelima or the fifth item can be used to identify the fifth element within a group. In Malay, the usage mirrors Indonesian, with kelima serving the same function to denote the fifth position or item.

Etymology and form arise from the Indonesian ordinal pattern that builds on the base number lima (five). Kelima is part of a broader system of cardinal-to-ordinal conversions used throughout Indonesian and Malay. The term is widely recognized in education, government, media, and everyday conversation, and it is typically understood by speakers across Indonesia and Malaysia.

See also: pertama, kedua, ketiga, keempat, keenam, sila kelima, Pancasila.