Where does “kai” come from?
Kai derives from Māori kai, from Proto-Polynesian kai, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian kaən, ultimately from Proto-Austronesian kaən.
kai (English): food
Ancestry of “kai”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Maori | kai | to eat; food |
| 2 | Proto-Polynesian | kai | food |
| 3 | Proto-Oceanic | kani | — |
| 4 | Proto-Malayo-Polynesian | kaən | to eat |
| 5 | Proto-Austronesian | kaən | to eat |