Batak

¹

[ buh-tahk, bah- ]

noun

, plural Ba·taks, (especially collectively) Ba·tak

1. a member of a diverse group of Indigenous peoples chiefly inhabiting north-central Sumatra.
2. any of the Austronesian languages spoken by the Batak in Sumatra.

adjective

1. of or relating to the Batak of Sumatra.

Batak

²

[ buh-tahk, bah- ]

noun

, plural Ba·taks, (especially collectively) Ba·tak

1. a member of an Indigenous mountain-dwelling people from northeastern Palawan in the Philippines.
2. the Austronesian language spoken by the Batak in Palawan.

adjective

1. of or relating to the Batak of Palawan.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Batak¹

First recorded in 1810–20; from Batak (a subgroup of Austronesian languages spoken in the Indonesian province of North Sumatra and adjacent areas); a self-designation

Origin of Batak²

First recorded in 1900–05; from Tagbanwa, Tagbanua, Tagbanuwa (any of three Austronesian languages that are not mutually intelligible)

Example Sentences

—Delima Silalahi, a Batak woman from North Sumatra, Indonesia, who organized Indigenous communities across the country to advocate for their rights to traditional forests.

From Seattle Times

BBC said Reynhard was born in 1983 into a conservative Christian family, part of the Batak tribe from the island of Sumatra.

From Fox News

The oldest of four children, Sinaga was born in 1983 into a conservative Christian family, part of the Batak tribe from the island of Sumatra.

From BBC

The esports racers use a ‘Batak’ wall, just as regular drivers do, to work on peripheral vision, reaction times and hand-eye coordination.

From Reuters

But Lake Toba and the surrounding region is home to the country’s largest Christian ethnic minority group, the Batak.

From Los Angeles Times