Malagasy

American

[mal-uh-gas-ee] / ˌmæl əˈgæs i /

noun

plural

Malagasy, Malagasies

a member of any of various peoples native to the island of Madagascar.
the Austronesian language of Madagascar.

Malagasy British

/ ˌmæləˈɡæzɪ /

noun

a native or inhabitant of Madagascar
the official language of Madagascar belonging to the Malayo-Polynesian family

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

of or relating to Madagascar, its people, or their language

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The two Malagasy men said they arrived in Cambodia in June after dropping out of university in Madagascar to take what they thought were jobs at a call center.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 23, 2025

"The military leaders who have seized power should respect and protect the rights of all Malagasy people," the Human Rights Watch said Wednesday.

From Barron's • Oct. 15, 2025

"The Malagasy army remains a mediator and constitutes the nation's last line of defence," he said.

From Barron's • Oct. 11, 2025

President Rajoelina has asked the Malagasy people to give him one year to fix the problems driving the protests, saying he will resign if fails to meet the deadline.

From BBC • Oct. 10, 2025

A Malagasy proverb compared marriage to a knot so lightly tied that it could be undone by a touch.

From The Truth About Woman by Hartley, C. Gasquoine (Catherine Gasquoine)

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023