kendeng

Tagalog

Alternative forms

• quinding — obsolete, Spanish-based spelling
• kinding

Etymology

Uncertain. Some theories include:

• From Proto-Southern Philippine *kindiŋ (“dance; prance”), according to Zorc (1981). See also Maranao kinding (“to have frolicsome dance”).
• Said to be borrowed from Spanish candil, from Arabic قِنْدِيل (qindīl), from Classical Syriac ܩܢܕܠܐ (qandēlā), from Ancient Greek κάνδηλα (kándēla), from Latin candēla (“candle”). Possible doublet of kandila.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ˈkendeŋ/ [ˈkɛn̪.d̪ɛŋ]
• Rhymes: -endeŋ
• Syllabification: ken‧deng

Noun

kendeng (Baybayin spelling ᜃᜒᜈ᜔ᜇᜒᜅ᜔)

1. intentional and exaggerated sway of hips (of a woman)

   Synonyms: (colloquial) kembot, (colloquial) giling, (obsolete) kantot

Derived terms

• ikendeng
• kendengan
• kumendeng
• pakendeng-kendeng

See also

• kinday
• kindi

Further reading

• “kendeng”, in KWF Diksiyonaryo ng Wikang Filipino, Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino, 2025
• “kendeng”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, Manila, 2018.
• Zorc, David Paul (1981), Core Etymological Dictionary of Filipino: Part 2, page 87