Jakarta, balaibahasajateng.kemendikdasmen.go.id—In October 2025, the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, via the Agency for Language Development and Cultivation, enhanced the Indonesian Comprehensive Dictionary. This revision added 3,259 new entries, bringing the cumulative total to 210,595. These entries can be accessed at https://kbbi.kemendikdasmen.go.id/Beranda/Pemutakhiran.
The Indonesian Comprehensive Dictionary undergoes periodic updates every six months to reflect the evolving vocabulary and terminology within society. It is anticipated that the dictionary will continue to serve as a pertinent and precise linguistic reference, adapting to the dynamic nature of the Indonesian language.
The Indonesian Comprehensive Dictionary is a Historical Dictionary.
Hafidz Muksin, the Head of the Agency for Language Development and Cultivation, highlighted that this dictionary functions not merely as a prescriptive resource containing linguistic rules but also as a descriptive dictionary. It encompasses both formal and informal vocabulary utilized within society. To enhance the information provided, the dictionary includes abbreviation labels within its entries that clarify the varieties of registers and contexts; for instance, the label ‘cak’ or ‘cakapan’ (conversational register) indicates that the word is exclusively used in informal discussions and is not considered standard, whereas the ‘kas’ or ‘kasar’ (rude) label signifies that the word is restricted to swearing or cursing contexts. Furthermore, the dictionary employs a cross-reference method to indicate the standard form. This method underscores that not every word documented is immediately recognized as standardized in the Indonesian Comprehensive Dictionary; nevertheless, it offers comprehensive and balanced linguistic information.
Hafidz remarked that “The Indonesian Comprehensive Dictionary is an extensive reference work, evidenced by its wide-ranging vocabulary that encompasses various time periods, disciplines, and practical uses.”
From The Users’ Proposal to the Dictionary’s Entry
The process of updating the Indonesian Comprehensive Dictionary is established through a structured and standardized editing system. Proposals for new entries, submitted by both the internal team and the public users, undergo editing and review by the editor; subsequently, these proposals are validated by a validator prior to being recognized as official entries. This tiered editing approach is conducted to ensure that new entries have been confirmed through a standardized filtering and editing procedure. Editorial meetings are convened regularly to address any challenges that may emerge during the editing process.
Crowd sourcing that has played a crucial role in the making of dictionaries, as it refers to collecting linguistic data—words, meanings, citations— from a wide public community, rather than only professional scholars become one of the pivotal factors in developing the Indonesian Comprehensive Dictionary. The online dictionary has received 255,629 proposals from the public, with 181,220 proposals, or approximately 70.89%, having been edited to date. Each proposal received undergoes an editing process. If further revision is needed, the proposal will be returned to the proposer for refinement. Then, the adjusted proposal is forwarded to the editor for review. Once declared eligible, the proposal is validated and selected as part of the entry list that will be updated in the following period.
The proposed words and terms illustrate the creativity of Indonesian speakers, including colloquial adaptations of existing words found in the Indonesian Comprehensive Dictionary, owing to their prevalent usage.
In contemporary lexicographic methodology, the frequency of occurrence is a significant factor in establishing the usage information within the dictionary entries. Additionally, the editors take into account aesthetic considerations or euphoniousness: the state or quality of being euphonious (of sound, especially speech), pleasing to the ear, possible socio-cultural interpretations, and adherence to the conventions of the Indonesian language.
In general, an entry may be included in The Indonesian Comprehensive Dictionary if it meets the following primary criteria: uniqueness, euphony, adherence to the rules of the Indonesian language, lack of negative connotation, and extensive and repeated usage in public contexts. Numerous words in this dictionary are derived from regional or foreign languages, addressing the semantic gaps present in the Indonesian language. This phenomenon illustrates a collective effort to enhance the vocabulary of Indonesian.
As a reference work, The Indonesian Comprehensive Dictionary employs a range of writing conventions to assist its users, which include entry tagging, usage examples, hyphenation, as well as considerations of variety and field labels. Understanding these conventions will enhance referencing abilities and help users acquire language information in an accurate and comprehensive manner.
The Indonesian Comprehensive Dictionary serves as the primary reference for the Indonesian language, being officially curated and consistently revised. Employing a complementary prescriptive-descriptive methodology, this dictionary not only sets linguistic standards but also reflects the Indonesian language as a dynamic entity that evolves, grows and develops alongside its speakers.
Translator: Ayu Intan H.
Proofreader: Kahar Dwi P.
Source: https://balaibahasajateng.kemendikdasmen.go.id/2026/01/sepanjang-2025-kbbi-bertambah-3-259-entri-baru/
