bahasa nasional

Indonesian

Etymology

Compound of bahasa (“language”) +‎ nasional (“national”), calque of Dutch nationale taal.

Noun

bahasa nasional

1. (linguistics) national language, a language afforded an elevated status in a particular country, state, or other jurisdiction.

   Synonym: bahasa kebangsaan

Further reading

• “bahasa nasional” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation — Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic Indonesia, 2016.