Where does “kutu” come from?

kutu (English) comes from Maori kutu, from Proto-Polynesian kutu, from Proto-Oceanic kutu, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian kutu, from Austronesian *kutu, from Proto-Austronesian *kuCux — louse insect.

kutu (English): A body louse

Definitions

  1. A body louse

Ancestry of “kutu”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Maorikutulouse
2Proto-Polynesiankutulouse
3Proto-Oceanickutulouse generic
4Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesiankutu—
5Austronesian*kutu—
6Proto-Austronesian*kuCuxlouse insect
Every word from Proto-Austronesian *kuCux →Every word from Austronesian *kutu →Every word from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian kutu →