Standard Lemma guide

otak-otak

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • Singapore: [ˈotaʔ ˌotaʔ]

1

noun

Meaning 1

Grilled fish cake wrapped inside a banana leaf; a popular snack food in Southeast Asia, particularly Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Malay otak-otak, plural of otak (“brain”), from the resemblance in appearance.

Across languages

Translations

1 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 窩咑 /窝咑 (wōdā) — snack