asahan
asahan Lexical Profile
• noun
A major river in North Sumatra, Indonesia, which flows from Lake Toba to the Strait of Malacca and is highly significant for regional hydroelectric power generation.
"The engineering team surveyed the Asahan River to determine the feasibility of constructing a new hydroelectric dam."
A regency (kabupaten) located in the province of North Sumatra, Indonesia, noted historically as the seat of the Asahan Sultanate.
"Agricultural expansion in Asahan has significantly increased the region's output of palm oil and rubber."
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed into English from Indonesian and Malay proper nouns. Etymologically, it derives from the Malay/Indonesian root 'asah' (to sharpen) combined with the noun-forming suffix '-an', traditionally signifying a sharpening stone or a place of sharpening.