maharlika

Tagalog

Alternative forms

• mahadlica, mahad-lica, mahaglica — obsolete, Spanish-based orthography
• mahadlika, mahaglika — obsolete
• maharlica — archaic

Etymology

From a metathesis of Sanskrit महर्द्धिक (maharddhika, “prosperous”). Compare Kapampangan mardika, Maranao maradika' / mirdika, Tausug mahardikaꞌ, Buginese ᨆᨑᨉᨙᨀ (maradeka), Javanese ꦩꦂꦢꦶꦏ (mardika), Balinese ᬫᬃᬤᬾᬓ (mardéka), Indonesian mahardika, and Malay merdeka. The gay slang sense is due to the similarity with the word mahal, which also came from Sanskrit.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mahaɾliˈka/, [mɐ.hɐɾ.lɪˈxa]

• IPA^(key): /mahaɾliˈkaʔ/, [mɐ.hɐɾ.lɪˈxaʔ]

• IPA^(key): /maˈhaɾlika/, [mɐˈhaɾ.lɪ.xɐ] (colloquial)
• Hyphenation: ma‧har‧li‧ka

Noun

maharliká or maharlikâ or mahárliká (Baybayin spelling ᜋᜑᜇ᜔ᜎᜒᜃ)

1. (historical) freeman; a member of the feudal warrior class in ancient Tagalog society
2. (obsolete) act of freeing someone

   Synonym: laya

Derived terms

• kamaharlikaan
• magmaharlika
• maharlikain
• Maharnilad
• pagkamaharlika
• pagmaharlika

 

Related terms

• mahal
• maharaha
• maharani

 

See also

• timawa

 

Adjective

maharliká or maharlikâ or mahárliká (Baybayin spelling ᜋᜑᜇ᜔ᜎᜒᜃ)

1. noble; aristocratic

   Synonyms: dakila, noblesa, kagalang-galang, kamahalan, dugong bughaw

2. (gay slang) expensive

   Synonyms: mahal, (gay slang) Mahalia Jackson

3. (obsolete) free (from slavery)

   Synonym: malaya

4. (obsolete) plebeian; common

   Synonym: karaniwan

Usage notes

• The word maharlika used to refer to the middle class of ancient Tagalog society. During the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan era in the Philippines, former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. claimed that maharlika referred to the nobility of ancient Tagalog society. Because of this, maharlika evolved into modern use to mean “nobility” but the correct terminology for it was the maginoo class.

Related terms

• hadlika

 

References

• “maharlika”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, Manila, 2018
• Potet, Jean-Paul G. (2016) Tagalog Borrowings and Cognates, Lulu Press, →ISBN, page 289
• Noceda, Fr. Juan José de, Sanlucar, Fr. Pedro de (1860) Vocabulario de la lengua tagala, compuesto por varios religiosos doctos y graves‎^[1] (in Spanish), Manila: Ramirez y Giraudier
• San Buena Ventura, Fr. Pedro de (1613) Juan de Silva, editor, Vocabulario de lengua tagala: El romance castellano puesto primero‎^[2], La Noble Villa de Pila, page 389: “Libre) Maharlica (pp) de eſclauonia”