Etymology

From Khmer សំគាល់ ‎(sâmkéal, “mark, sign; to notice; to know; to recognise; to distinguish”) or សម្គាល់ ‎(sâmkéal). Compare Lao ສຳຄັນ ‎(sam khan) and the Khmer reborrowing សំខាន់ ‎(sâmkhan, “important; remarkable”).

Pronunciation