Where does “wahine” come from?
wahine (Hawaiian) comes from Proto-Polynesian fafine, from Proto-Oceanic papine, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian babinahi, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian bahi, from Proto-Austronesian bahi — female, woman.
wahine (Hawaiian): woman, female; wife
Ancestry of “wahine”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Proto-Polynesian | fafine | woman |
| 2 | Proto-Oceanic | papine | — |
| 3 | Proto-Malayo-Polynesian | babinahi | — |
| 4 | Proto-Malayo-Polynesian | bahi | — |
| 5 | Proto-Austronesian | bahi | female, woman |
Words derived from “wahine”