Where does “Kaʻehu” come from?

Kaʻehu (Hawaiian) comes from Hawaiian ʻEhu, from Proto-Polynesian *efu, from Proto-Oceanic *qapu, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian qabu, from Proto-Austronesian qabu — ash.

Ancestry of “Kaʻehu”, step by step

Kaʻehu traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Hawaiian ʻEhu

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1HawaiianʻEhuspray, foam, mist, seaspray
2Proto-Polynesian*efuash solid remains of a fire
3Proto-Oceanic*qapuash solid remains of a fire
4Proto-Malayo-Polynesianqabuash solid remains of a fire
5Proto-Austronesianqabuash

via Hawaiian kā

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Hawaiiankāto strike, hit, thrust, dash, hurl; container;...
2Proto-Polynesiantaʻa—
3Proto-Austronesiantaqanto hold back; to keep in reserve
Every word from Proto-Austronesian qabu →Every word from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian qabu →Every word from Proto-Oceanic *qapu →