Where does “kava” come from?
Kava comes from Tongan kava, which derives from Proto-Polynesian kawa, a plant used to prepare a ceremonial beverage.
kava (English): A plant from the South Pacific, Piper...
Definitions
- A plant from the South Pacific, Piper...
Ancestry of “kava”, step by step
kava traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Tongan kava
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Tongan | kava | bitter; kava |
| 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 Polish kawa
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Polish | kawa | coffee |
| 2 | Ottoman Turkish | قهوه | coffee |
| 3 | Persian | قهوه | coffee |
| 4 | Arabic | قهوة | wine; coffee; coffee shop, café |
Words derived from “kava”