Where does “Cahoy” come from?
Cahoy (Cebuano) comes from Cebuano kahoy, from Proto-Philippine kahiw, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian kahiw, from Proto-Austronesian kaSiw — wood; tree.
Ancestry of “Cahoy”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Cebuano | kahoy | a tree; wood; lumber; timber; firewood |
| 2 | Proto-Philippine | kahiw | wood; tree |
| 3 | Proto-Malayo-Polynesian | kahiw | wood; tree |
| 4 | Proto-Austronesian | kaSiw | wood; tree |