mantan

See also: màntán

Indonesian

Etymology

From Besemah mantan. Coined by Indonesian linguist Anton Moedardo Moeliono.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmantan/
• Hyphenation: man‧tan

Adjective

mantan

1. former (position holders, positions, etc); ex-.

   Synonym: bekas

   mantan kepala sekolah ― former headmaster

Noun

mantan (plural mantan-mantan, first-person possessive mantanku, second-person possessive mantanmu, third-person possessive mantannya)

1. (colloquial, informal) a former significant other
   • 2020, Cella, Chua, Tantri (lyrics and music), “Mantanku [My Ex]”, in Identitas [Identity], performed by Kotak, Jakarta: Warner Music Indonesia, track 7:

     Apa kabar sekarang kamu, sang mantanku?

     How are you now, my ex?

Further reading

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