Where does “awa” come from?
awa (English) comes from Hawaiian ʻawa, from Proto-Polynesian kawa, from Proto-Oceanic *kawaʀ, from Proto-Oceanic *wakaʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wakaʀ — root.
awa (English): Kava, specifically Piper methysticum
Definitions
- Kava, specifically Piper methysticum
Ancestry of “awa”, step by step
awa traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Hawaiian ʻawa
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaiian | ʻawa | kava (Piper methysticum) |
| 2 | Proto-Polynesian | kawa | kava, bitterness; bitter, sour |
| 3 | Proto-Oceanic | *kawaʀ | potent root root of a plant with strong properties: e.g. ginger |
| 4 | Proto-Oceanic | *wakaʀ | — |
| 5 | Proto-Malayo-Polynesian | *wakaʀ | root |
via Japanese 阿波
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japanese | 阿波 | Awa Province, an old province of Japan |