Where does “pohutukawa” come from?

pohutukawa (English) comes from Maori pōhutukawa, from Maori kawa, from Proto-Polynesian kawa, from Proto-Oceanic *kawaʀ, from Proto-Oceanic *wakaʀ, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wakaʀ — root.

pohutukawa (English): Metrosideros excelsa, a coastal evergreen tree...

Definitions

  1. Metrosideros excelsa, a coastal evergreen tree...

Ancestry of “pohutukawa”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Maoripōhutukawa—
2Maorikawasour; a ceremony to remove tapu from a new house...
3Proto-Polynesiankawakava, bitterness; bitter, sour
4Proto-Oceanic*kawaʀpotent root root of a plant with strong properties: e.g. ginger
5Proto-Oceanic*wakaʀ—
6Proto-Malayo-Polynesian*wakaʀroot
Every word from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wakaʀ →Every word from Proto-Oceanic *wakaʀ →Every word from Proto-Oceanic *kawaʀ →