Etymology Explorer › Hawaiian

Where does “ʻai” come from?

ʻai (Hawaiian) comes from Proto-Polynesian kai, from Proto-Oceanic kani, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian kaən, from Proto-Austronesian kaən — to eat.

ʻai (Hawaiian): food; in particular, any food that is not fish;...

Definitions

  1. food; in particular, any food that is not fish;...

Ancestry of “ʻai”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Polynesiankaifood
2Proto-Oceanickani—
3Proto-Malayo-Polynesiankaənto eat
4Proto-Austronesiankaənto eat

Words derived from “ʻai”

  • kūʻai
  • Mahiʻai
Every word from Proto-Austronesian kaən →