The
Malay world or
Malay realm (
Malay:
Dunia Melayu or
Alam Melayu,
Jawi: دونيا ملايو or عالم ملايو) is a concept or an expression, that has been utilised by different authors and groups over time, to denote several different notions, that derived from varied interpretations of
Malayness, either as a
racial category, as a
linguistic group, or as a political-
cultural group. The use of the term '
Malay' in much of the conceptualisation, is largely based on the prevalent
Malay cultural influence, manifested in particular, through
the spread of Malay language in Southeast Asia as observed by different colonial powers during the
Age of Discovery.