rasmi

Rasmi is an adjective used in Malay and Indonesian to denote something official, formal, or authorized by an authority. The term is employed to describe language, documents, events, and procedures that have formal status. Etymology traces to the root rasm or rasam in Arabic, meaning form, inscription, or rule, with the -i suffix forming an adjective in Malay and Indonesian. In practice, rasmi appears in phrases such as bahasa rasmi (official language), surat rasmi (official letter), acara rasmi (official event), protokol rasmi (official protocol), and jawapan rasmi (official answer). It also occurs in bureaucratic contexts like dokumen rasmi (official document) or dasar rasmi (official policy). The opposite form is tidak rasmi, meaning informal or unofficial, used in contrasts like surat tidak rasmi or acara tidak rasmi.

In modern usage, rasmi signals formality and legitimacy in government, education, media, and business. It is common in terms of etiquette and protocol, where its formal status conveys authority. The term is generally confined to Malay- and Indonesian-speaking contexts, though it can appear in multilingual discussions about official status. Rasmi can also be a given name in some South Asian or diaspora communities.

See also: bahasa rasmi, surat rasmi, majlis rasmi, protokol rasmi, surat tidak rasmi, bahasa Indonesia, bahasa Melayu.