Where does “mata-mata” come from?

mata-mata (English) comes from Malay mata-mata, from Malay mata, from Proto-Malayic mata, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian mata, from Proto-Austronesian mata, from Proto-Austronesian maCa — eye organ.

mata-mata (English): A police officer

Definitions

  1. A police officer

Ancestry of “mata-mata”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Malaymata-mataplural of mata; policeman; spy
2Malaymataeye; edge; hole
3Proto-Malayicmataeye
4Proto-Malayo-Polynesianmataeye
5Proto-Austronesianmataeye
6Proto-AustronesianmaCaeye organ
Every word from Proto-Austronesian maCa →Every word from Proto-Austronesian mata →Every word from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian mata →
mata-mata — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer