Where does “kavain” come from?
kavain (English) comes from English kava, from Tongan kava, from Proto-Polynesian kawa, from Proto-Oceanic *kawaʀ, from Proto-Oceanic *wakaʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wakaʀ — root.
kavain (English): A kavalactone with anticonvulsive properties
Definitions
- A kavalactone with anticonvulsive properties
Ancestry of “kavain”, step by step
kavain traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English kava
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | kava | A plant from the South Pacific, Piper... |
| 2 | Tongan | kava | bitter; kava |
| 3 | Proto-Polynesian | kawa | kava, bitterness; bitter, sour |
| 4 | Proto-Oceanic | *kawaʀ | potent root root of a plant with strong properties: e.g. ginger |
| 5 | Proto-Oceanic | *wakaʀ | — |
| 6 | Proto-Malayo-Polynesian | *wakaʀ | root |