maharlika

Tagalog

Alternative forms

• mahadlica, mahad-lica, mahaldica, mahaglica — obsolete, Spanish-based spelling
• mahadlika, mahaglika — obsolete
• maharlica — obsolete

Etymology

From a metathesis of Sanskrit महर्द्धिक (maharddhika, “prosperous”). Compare Kapampangan mardika, Maranao maradika' / mirdika, Tausug mahardikaꞌ, Buginese maradeka, Javanese ꦩꦂꦢꦶꦏ (mardika), Balinese 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

• (Standard Tagalog)
  • IPA^(key): /maˌhaɾliˈka/ [mɐˌhaɾ.lɪˈx̠a], (dated) /mahaɾliˈka/ [mɐ.hɐɾ.lɪˈx̠a]
    • Rhymes: -a
  • IPA^(key): /mahaɾliˈkaʔ/ [mɐ.hɐɾ.lɪˈx̠aʔ]
    • Rhymes: -aʔ
• Syllabification: ma‧har‧li‧ka

Noun

mahárliká or maharlikâ (Baybayin spelling ᜋᜑᜇ᜔ᜎᜒᜃ)

1. ruling class, nobility, aristocracy in ancient Tagalog society

   Synonym: maginoo

2. a noble or aristocrat in ancient Tagalog society

   Synonym: maginoo

3. (historical) freeman; a member of the feudal warrior class in ancient Tagalog society
4. (obsolete) act of freeing from slavery; manumission; emancipation

   Synonym: laya

Usage notes

• The word maharlika was 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 in modern usage to mean “nobility”, but the correct term for the nobility was the maginoo class.

Derived terms

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

Related terms

• mahal
• maharaha
• maharani

See also

• timawa

Adjective

mahárliká or maharlikâ (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); manumitted

   Synonym: malaya

4. (obsolete) plebeian; common

   Synonym: karaniwan

Related terms

• hadlika

References

• “maharlika”, in KWF Diksiyonaryo ng Wikang Filipino, Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino, 2025
• “maharlika”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, 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, y coordinado por…, ultimamente aumentado y corregido por varios religiosos de la Orden de Agustinos calzados.‎^[1] (overall work in Spanish and Classical Tagalog), Manila: Ramírez y Giraudier.
• San Buena Ventura, Fr. Pedro de (1613), Vocabulario de lengua tagala. El romance castellano puesto primero. Primera, y segunda parte.‎^[2] (overall work in Early Modern Spanish and Classical Tagalog), as directed by Gov. Gen. Juan de Silva, Pila, Laguna: La noble Villa de Pila, por Tomás Pinpin y Domingo Loag., page 389: “Libre) Maharlica (pp) de eſclauonia”