aircon—[ENG] clipping of air conditioner

ambush interview—[ENG] interview that was not prearranged

amihan—[NES] northeast monsoon/wind; from Tagalog

ampalaya—[NES] bitter melon (Momordica charantia); from Tagalog

artista—[ESP] artist, especially a television/film actor; from Spanish artista ‘artist, performer’

ate—[NES] elder sister; from Hokkien 阿姊 á-chí ‘eldest sister’

availment—[ENG] services or benefits which can be availed or taken advantage of

bagoong—[NES] salt-fermented fish/shrimp paste; from Tagalog

ballpen—[ENG] clipping of ballpoint pen

barangay—[NES] smallest administrative division in the Philippines (cf. hamlet, neighborhood) based on precolonial polities ruled by a datu or lakan; from Tagalog

barrio—[ESP] local neighborhood historically approximate to the contemporary designation of barangay; from Spanish barrio ‘ward, district’

based from—[ENG] alternative form of based on

bolo—[UNV] a type of single-edged machete common in the Philippines; exact origin is disputed

bond paper—[ENG] a durable white paper used for writing or printing documents

Bora—[NES] clipping of Boracay, an island and popular tourist destination; exact origin is disputed but speculated to be from Inati

calamansi—[NES] calamondin, Philippine lime/lemon (Citrus × macrocarpa); Westernized spelling of Tagalog kalamansi

canteen—[ENG] cafeteria; ultimately from French cantine via English

carabao—[NES] water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis); from Waray or Hiligaynon karabaw (possibly loaned from Malay kerbau) via Spanish or English

cedula—[ESP] colloquialization of the Community Tax Certificate historically based on the proof of residence tax (cédula) imposed by the Spanish colonial government

chicharon—[ESP] deep-fried pork rinds or offal; from Spanish chicharrón

coffees—[ENG] pluralized variant of coffee

colorum—[NES] public transport vehicle operating without government approved franchise; clipping of Latin saecula saeculōrum ‘for ever and ever, for eternity’ but exact direction of loaning uncertain

commute—[ENG] the act of traveling from one point to another, usually in urban settings, using public transportation

condotel—[ENG] blending of (residential) condominium and hotel

CR—[ENG] abbreviation of comfort room referring to a lavatory or bathroom

crispy pata—[HYB] deep-fried pork trotters; compound of English crispy and Spanish pata ‘animal leg, paw, foot’

despite of—[ENG] alternative form of in spite of

doctoral—[ENG] relating to a doctorate program; analogous to masteral

eatery—[ENG] cafeteria, restaurant, café

estafa—[ESP] financial fraud or scam; ultimately from Italian staffa via Spanish

estero—[ESP] river estuary or inlet canal; from Spanish estero ‘river delta, pond, lagoon’

fantaserye—[HYB] a local genre of TV soap opera with fantasy elements; blending of English fantasy and Spanish-based [tele]serye ‘television series’

fiesta—[ESP] feast day usually in honor of a Catholic saint; from Spanish fiesta ‘party, feast day, holiday’

Filipiniana—[ESP] collective term for any type of traditional ensemble worn by women in the Philippines; may also refer to archival collections on Filipinos or the Philippines usually found in libraries; neologism from Spanish Filipinas ‘the Philippines’

Filipino time—[ENG] deprecating ascription to Filipinos’ supposed lack of a rigorous sense of time or punctuality

finals—[ENG] relating to summative exams or any activities at the tail-end of the semester

food trip—[ENG] a trip to get food, usually snacks

get down—[ENG] to alight a vehicle (cf. get off the bus)

going on—[ENG] alternative form of ongoing or on-going

habagat—[NES] southwest monsoon/wind; from Tagalog

house bill—[ENG] a legislative proposal (bill) presented to the Philippine Congress or House of Representatives

international school—[ENG] a school following an international curriculum typically catered to children of foreign nationals

jueteng—[UNV] an illegal numbers game using a fishbowl or barrel-shaped container from which balls are randomly drawn as lottery; exact origin is disputed but speculated as a Hispanization of Hokkien hua teng ‘flower + stack of papers’

kuya—[NES] elder brother; from Hokkien 哥仔 ko-iá ‘young man, lad’

lola—[ESP] grandmother; clipping and reduplication of Spanish abuela

lolo—[ESP] grandfather; clipping and reduplication of Spanish abuelo

lumpia—[NES] local variant of spring rolls; from Hokkien 潤餅 lūn-piáⁿ

malling—[ENG] to visit or stroll around a shopping mall

malunggay—[NES] moringa, drumstick/horseradish tree (Moringa oleifera); from Tagalog

manang—[ESP] an elderly or older woman (in Tagalog), elder sister/woman of close affinity (in other Philippine languages); clipping of Spanish hermana ‘sister’ suffixed with Philippine diminutive -ng

manong—[ESP] an elderly or older man (in Tagalog), elder brother/man of close affinity (in other Philippine languages); clipping of Spanish hermano ‘brother’ suffixed with Philippine diminutive -ng

masteral—[ENG] relating to a master’s program; analogous to doctoral

merienda—[ESP] an afternoon snack; from Old Spanish (obsolete in modern Spanish)

midterms—[ENG] relating to exams or any activities halfway through the semester

modus—[ESP] established habits or methods of committing a crime; clipping of Latin modus operandī via Spanish

ninong—[ESP] godfather; colloquialization of Spanish padrino ‘godfather, sponsor’ > nino suffixed with Philippine diminutive -ng

pack up—[ENG] to clear away and store things in a container/bag in preparation to move

pandesal—[ESP] small bread rolls usually eaten at breakfast or as a snack; from Spanish pan de sal ‘salt(ed) bread’

parol—[ESP] Christmas lanterns; from Spanish farol ‘lantern, streetlamp, lighthouse’

partylist—[ENG] alternative form of party-list; referring to the system or political parties/organizations known to represent marginalized sectors (e.g., urban poor, women) subject to the party-list proportional system unique to the Philippine electoral system

pasalubong—[NES] a gift or souvenir brought by those returning from a trip; from Tagalog

patis—[NES] fish sauce; from Malay petis ‘fish paste’ (ultimately from Javanese petis ‘fish/shrimp extract’) via Tagalog

pedicab—[ENG] pedal tricycle

Pinay—[ESP] a female of Filipino citizenship or ancestry; feminine diminutive form of Pilipino (analogous to Pinoy)

Pinoy—[ESP] any person or specifically male of Filipino citizenship or ancestry; diminutive form of Pilipino (analogous to Pinay)

plantilla—[ESP] a permanent or regular position usually in the government; from Spanish plantilla ‘template, stencil’

professor—[ENG] any teaching personnel of a tertiary level institution, regardless of rank

pumpboat—[ENG] a utility outrigger canoe powered by a small gasoline or diesel engine

reclusion perpetua—[ESP] Philippine legalese for imprisonment of thirty years for inmates convicted of capital crimes or heinous crimes ineligible for parole; from Spanish reclusión perpetua ‘permanent imprisonment’

restobar—[ENG] an establishment serving fare found in both restaurants and bars (e.g., alcohol, finger foods) often with live band performances; blending of restaurant and bar

result to—[ENG] alternative form of result in

rubber shoes—[ENG] sneakers, trainers, athletic shoes

sago—[NES] palm-based starch usually in the form of clear pearls used in various desserts; from Tagalog

sala—[ESP] living room/space; from Spanish sala ‘room, hall, courtroom’

sando—[UNV] tank top, singlet; exact origin is disputed

sari-sari store—[HYB] a sundry store (cf. bodega), often family-owned, selling goods in small quantities; compound of Tagalog sari-sari ‘variety’ and English store

seminar workshop—[ENG] a professional development event (e.g., conference) simultaneously hosting a seminar and a workshop

side trip—[ENG] a brief excursion off a main route of an itinerary (e.g., visiting a person or place along the way); analogous to food trip

siesta—[ESP] afternoon break or nap; from Spanish

slippers—[ENG] footwear worn within household premises, often referring to flip-flops

solon—[ENG] a legislator; American lexicalization of the name of Ancient Greek statesman Σόλων (Sólōn)

street food—[ENG] food sold from a streetside vendor or hawker

studentry—[ENG] a body or community of students

sugars—[ENG] pluralized variant of sugar

supertyphoon—[ENG] an exceptionally large and powerful typhoon

tablea—[ESP] ground cocoa formed into discs or tablets ready for cooking chocolate-based desserts or beverages; from Spanish tablilla ‘tablet’

telenovela—[ESP] TV soap operas; blending of Spanish televisión and novela ‘novel’

text—a short message service (SMS) or the act of sending an SMS

tiangge—[ESP] a flea market or bazaar; possibly from Classical Nahuatl tiyānquiztli ‘it is a street market/marketplace’ via Mexican Spanish tianguis

topnotcher—[ENG] a person, usually a student, who finishes or accomplishes something in the highest ranks; alternative form of top-notcher

traffic—[ENG] adjectivized form relating to heavy, poor traffic (cf. It’s so traffic!)

trapo—[ENG] a corrupt politician; blending of traditional and politician

truck ban—[ENG] an ordinance to restrict movement of cargo trucks on specified roads especially in Metro Manila during designated hours to alleviate traffic flow

ube—[NES] purple yam (Dioscorea alata) widely cultivated in the Philippines and used as an ingredient for various desserts; from Tagalog

ukay-ukay—[NES] a thrift store selling secondhand items (e.g., clothes, bags, footwear); possibly from Cebuano ukay ‘[to] dig’ via Tagalog

unli—[ENG] relating to anything limitless (e.g., unli rice—all-you-can-eat rice; unli data—unlimited prepaid mobile data); clipping of unlimited

viand—[ENG] approximation to any dish accompanied with rice (cf. Tagalog ulam) which is a standard composition of Filipino diet

wet market—[ENG] a market selling fresh meat and fish; analogous to dry market

wherein—[ENG] relativizing subordinator used to signal additional information; possibly analogous to Tagalog kung saan ‘whence, in which’

yaya—[ESP] a nanny; ultimately from Spanish yaya ‘granny’ via Tagalog