Where does “iwi” come from?

iwi (Hawaiian) comes from Proto-Polynesian *hui, from Proto-Oceanic suʀi, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *zuʀi, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian duʀi, from Proto-Austronesian duʀi — thorn.

iwi (Hawaiian): bone

Definitions

  1. bone

Ancestry of “iwi”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Polynesian*huithorn
2Proto-Oceanicsuʀithorn, splinter, fish bone
3Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian*zuʀi—
4Proto-Malayo-Polynesianduʀithorn
5Proto-Austronesianduʀithorn
Every word from Proto-Austronesian duʀi →Every word from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian duʀi →Every word from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *zuʀi →
iwi — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer