tersebar

Tersebar is an Indonesian and Malay verb that means “to be spread” or “to have spread.” It is used to describe something that has become distributed across places, people, or groups, such as information, rumors, diseases, seeds, or technologies. The term can also function as an adjective indicating a state of spread, as in “informasi itu telah tersebar.”

Etymology and grammar: tersebar is formed with the root sebar (to spread) combined with the prefix ter-, which in Indonesian and Malay commonly marks a passive or stative sense, signaling that the spreading has occurred rather than indicating an active agent. The word is typically used in passive or intransitive constructions, for example: “Berita itu telah tersebar di kalangan pelajar,” meaning the news has spread among students. The active counterpart is menyebarkan (to spread something), as in “dia menyebarkan brosur,” where a subject actively disseminates.

Usage and nuance: tersebar emphasizes the result or state of dispersal rather than the act of spreading itself. It is commonly used for information, rumors, diseases, plants, populations, or digital content that has reached broad audiences. In formal writing, tersebar often appears with modifiers such as luas (wide), di seluruh (across all), or di kalangan tertentu (among a certain group).

Related terms include sebar (to spread), penyebaran (the act or process of spreading), and tersebaran (a noun form referring to the spread). In Malay, usage is analogous, with similar grammatical behavior and meanings.