Glossary: Marikit and the Ocean of Stars

These are the Tagalog words, and their pronunciation, found in Marikit and the Ocean of Stars.

The list is available at the back of the book, but I also included some of the sound files I shared with our audio book narrator, Amielynn Abellera. I hope they can be of use to your reading experience.

Abaniko (ah·bah·NEE·koh), noun. A small woven fan shaped like a spade.

Aling (AH·leeng), prefix. Used for older ladies.

Alitaptap (ah·lee·tahp·TAHP), noun. A firefly.

Apoy (ah·POY), noun. Fire.

Aswang. (as·WHANG), noun. Shapeshifting beasts, usually in the form of weredogs, that feed on human prey.

Bagwis (bahg·WEES), noun. Wing.

Bangka (bahng·KHA), noun. Boat.

Bangus (bang·OOS), noun. Milkfish.

Banyuhay (bahn·YOO·hay), noun. Metamorphosis.

Barrio (BAHR·yo), noun. A small district in a town.

Bato (bah·TO), noun. Stone.

Bayani (bah·YAH·nee), noun. Hero.

Bintana (been·TAH·na), noun. Window.

Bitak (BEE·tahk), noun. Crack.

Daan (DAH·ahn), noun. Road.

Dagat (DAH·ghat), noun. Sea.

Dapithapon (DAH·peet·HAH·pon), noun. Sundown.

Dilim (dee·LEEM), noun. Darkness.

Diwanlaon (DEE·wahn·lah·ohn), noun, a word I made up. “A prolonged soul,” from the words “diwa” (soul) and “lumaon” (to proceed as time goes by).

Diwata (DEE·wa·tah), noun. Fairy.

Duwende (DOO·wen·de), noun. Elf.

Engkanto (eng·KAHN·toh), noun. Enchanted creatures that cast a spell on humans and play tricks on them.

Espasol (es·pah·SOHL), noun. Sticky Filipino treat made of rice flour and coconut milk dusted with toasted flour.

Hiwaga (HEE·wah·ga), noun. Mystery, magic, wonder.

Kaarawan (ka·AH·rahw·ahn), noun. Birthday.

Kabuti (ka·boo·TEE), noun. Mushroom.

Kaibigan (ka·ee·BEE·gahn), noun. Friend.

Kalesa (ka·LEH·sah), noun. Horse-drawn carriage.

Kaluwalhatian (ka·loo·wal·hah·TEE·ahn), noun. Glory.

Kapitolyo (ka·pee·TOHL·yo), noun. Capital.

Kutsara (koo·TSAH·rah), noun. Spoon.

Kuya (KOO·yah), noun. Older brother.

Lagim (lah·GEEM), noun. Terror.

Lagusan (lah·GOO·sahn), noun. Tunnel.

Lambanog (LAHM·bah·nog), noun. Distilled liquor made from nipa sap.

Langit (LAH·ngeet), noun. Heaven.

Ligalig (lee·gah·LEEG), noun. Doubt.

Luntian (LOON·ti·ahn), noun. Green.

Makinang de Padyak (ma·kee·NAHng de pahd·YAK), noun. Local term for a traditional sewing machine.

Maganda (ma·GAN·da), adjective. Beautiful.

Magiting (mah·GEE·teeng), adjective. Brave.

Malakas (ma·lah·KAS), adjective. Strong.

Malikmata (mah·LEEK·mah·TAH), noun. Illusion.

Mangagawa (mahng·gah·GAH·wah), noun. Worker.

Mangguguhit (mahng·goo·GOO·heet), noun. Illustrator.

Mang (mahng), prefix. Used for older men.

Manggagaway (mahng·gah·GAH·wahy), noun. Witch who makes people sick.

Manghahabi (mahng·HAH·HAH·bee), noun. Weaver.

Marikit (mah·ree·KEET), adjective. Lovely.

Masigla (mah·sig·LAH), adjective. Lush, lively.

Maulap (ma·OOH·lap), adjective. Cloudy.

Nanay (NA·nahy), noun. Mother.

Nuno (NOOH·nô), noun. Dwarf supposedly living in an anthill, casting spells to those who dared destroy his house.

Ordinaryo (or·di·NAR·yo), adjective. Ordinary.

Pirma (peer·MA), noun. Signature.

Pusô (POO·sô), noun. Triangle-shaped cooked rice wrapped in coconut leaves.

Puto (POO·toh), noun. Sticky rice treat.

Principalias (preen·see·PAHL·yah), noun. The noble class during the Spanish-colonized Philippines.

Salbahe (sal·BAH·he), adjective. Bad, mischievous.

Sari-sari (sah·REE·sah·REE), adjective. Assorted. A variety (of). 

Sayaw (sah·YAHW), verb. Dance.

Sinulid (see·NOOH·leed), noun. Thread.

Sipa (see·PA), noun. Traditional sport where a player kicks a small ball or metal up in the air for as long as possible.

Sirena (seeh·REH·nah), noun. Mermaid.

Sungka (SOONG·kha), noun. Traditional game using shells or stones and a wooden board with several craters.

Tahanan (tah·HAH·nahn), noun. Home.

Tahi (tah·HEE), noun. Stitch.

Tamad (ta·MAHD), adjective. Lazy.

Tatay (TAH·tahy), noun. Father.

Tawilis (tah·WEE·lees), noun. Type of freshwater sardine found in the Philippines.

Tikbalang. (teek·BAH·lahng), noun. A Filipino folkloric creature with an upper body of a man, and head and hooves of a horse.

Ube (OOH·beh), noun. Purple yam.

Vinta (VEEN·tah), noun. A type of boat known for its colorful rectangular sail.

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Published on March 07, 2025 17:16
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