negeri

Negeri is a Malay term that translates roughly as "state" or "province" and is used to designate subnational political units within a country. In modern Malay usage it most commonly refers to the states of Malaysia and to historical or ceremonial regions that function as subnational entities. The word conveys both a sense of land and governance, encompassing administrative jurisdictions with their own local governments under a broader national framework.

Etymology and usage patterns reflect its broad sense of territory. Negeri originates from Malay language conventions and has cognates in related Malay-speaking cultures. In everyday language, it can describe a geographic area as well as a political division. In official contexts, negeri often appears in the formal names of states and in governmental discourse to differentiate subnational units from the nation as a whole.

In Malaysia, the term is embedded in the Malay-language nomina of several states. For example, Negeri Sembilan or Negeri Kedah are commonly used in formal and historical references to these states. The use of negeri is typically paired with the state's name in official documents, signage, and customary speech, although many states are also commonly referred to simply by their conventional names. The concept of negeri coexists with other levels of governance within Malaysia’s federal structure, where each state has its own administration and, in some cases, hereditary rulers or ceremonial heads.

Distinctions with negar a, meaning country, are important. Negara denotes a sovereign nation, while negeri denotes an internal subdivision or province within a larger state. Outside Malaysia, the term may appear in historical or ceremonial contexts in Malay-speaking regions, but modern administrative divisions are often described using terms such as daerah (district) or provinsi (province) in other languages.