Where does “Kamahiʻai” come from?

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

Ancestry of “Kamahiʻai”, step by step

Kamahiʻai traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Hawaiian ʻai

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Hawaiianʻaifood; in particular, any food that is not fish;...
2Proto-Polynesiankaifood
3Proto-Oceanickanito eat consume
4Proto-Malayo-Polynesiankaənto eat
5Proto-Austronesiankaənto eat

via Hawaiian kā

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Hawaiiankāto strike, hit, thrust, dash, hurl; container;...
2Proto-Polynesiantaʻa—
3Proto-Austronesiantaqanto hold back; to keep in reserve

via Hawaiian mahi

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Hawaiianmahifarm
2Proto-Polynesian*mafi—
Every word from Proto-Austronesian kaən →Every word from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian kaən →Every word from Proto-Oceanic kani →