termuda

Termuda is a word used in Indonesian and Malay to mean "the youngest." It is formed with the prefix ter- attached to muda, the word for young, which gives a superlative sense in this language family. The term is commonly used to identify the youngest member of a group, such as a family, a group of siblings, or a population sample.

In usage, termuda functions as an adjective or as part of a noun phrase. For example, anak termuda translates to “the youngest child,” while dia adalah orang termuda di keluarganya means “he/she is the youngest person in his/her family.” Indonesian adjectives generally do not change for gender or number, so termuda remains the same whether the noun is singular or plural; plurality is typically clarified by the surrounding words (for instance, anak-anak termuda or orang termuda).

The term can be contrasted with lebih muda, which means “younger” as a comparative form, and paling muda, which is another way to express “the youngest.” Termuda is widely understood in Indonesian and Malay contexts and appears in everyday speech, media, and literature when specifying a youngest status within a defined group.

Etymologically, termuda reflects common Malayic word formation, combining ter- with muda to convey extremity or extremal comparison. While it is most often encountered as a descriptive term, it can also function in contexts that identify rank or order among individuals or categories.