Where does “tubai” come from?

tubai (Iban) comes from Proto-Malayic *tuba(ʔ), from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *tubah, from Proto-Austronesian *tubah — Derris elliptica a plant with roots that are pounded and put in rivers to stun fish.

tubai (Iban): the plant derris, used as a fish poison

Definitions

  1. the plant derris, used as a fish poison

Ancestry of “tubai”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Malayic*tuba(ʔ)plant providing fish poison
2Proto-Malayo-Polynesian*tubahDerris elliptica a plant with roots that are pounded and put in rivers to stun fish
3Proto-Austronesian*tubahDerris elliptica a plant with roots that are pounded and put in rivers to stun fish
Every word from Proto-Austronesian *tubah →Every word from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *tubah →Every word from Proto-Malayic *tuba(ʔ) →