punah

Punah is a term used in Indonesian and Malay to describe something that has been destroyed, ruined, or wiped out. It is an adjective that can refer to physical destruction resulting from disasters or conflict, as well as to the extinction of species, languages, or cultural artifacts. In everyday and formal use, punah often appears in phrases such as spesies punah (extinct species) or hutan punah (destroyed forest). It can function predicatively, as in "Hutan itu punah akibat kebakaran besar," or attributively in fixed expressions, though in some contexts speakers may prefer alternatives like hancur or musnah.

Etymology and usage: Punah is native to Indonesian and Malay vocabulary. It has long been used in environmental, historical, and scientific discourse to denote total loss. The nuanced sense of punah is typically stronger than that of synonyms such as hancur or musnah, signaling near or total disappearance rather than mere damage. In discussions of biodiversity, archaeology, or cultural heritage, punah marks a final state rather than a partial outcome.

Semantic distinctions: While several words in Indonesian and Malay describe damage, punah emphasizes complete extinction or dissolution. It is commonly applied to natural environments (forests, habitats), biological categories (species), and cultural remnants (languages, traditions) when they no longer exist in a recognizable form.

See also: extinction, destruction, ruin, annihilation, loss of biodiversity.