Where does “uku” come from?

uku (Hawaiian Creole) comes from Hawaiian ʻuku, from Proto-Polynesian kutu, from Proto-Oceanic kutu, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian kutu, from Austronesian *kutu, from Proto-Austronesian *kuCux — louse insect.

uku (Hawaiian Creole): head lice

Definitions

  1. head lice

Ancestry of “uku”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Hawaiianʻukulouse, flea
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 →