Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “taboo” come from?

Taboo comes from Tongan tapu, from Proto-Polynesian tapu, from Proto-Oceanic tabu, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian tambu, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian tambu.

taboo (English): An inhibition or ban that results from social...

Definitions

  1. An inhibition or ban that results from social...

Ancestry of “taboo”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Tongantapuprohibited, sacred
2Proto-Polynesiantaputaboo
3Proto-Oceanictabu—
4Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesiantambu—
5Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesiantambu—

Words derived from “taboo”

  • tabu
  • tapu
  • nontaboo
  • tabooless
  • tabooer
  • tabu search
  • tabú
  • タブー
  • tabu
  • tabu
  • tabu
  • tabú
Every word from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian tambu →