Where does “alu-alu” come from?

alu-alu (Indonesian) comes from Indonesian alu, from Malay alu, from Proto-Malayic halu, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *qahəlu, from Proto-Austronesian qaSəlu — pestle.

alu-alu (Indonesian): barracuda

Definitions

  1. barracuda

Ancestry of “alu-alu”, step by step

alu-alu traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Indonesian alu

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Indonesianalupestle
2Malayalupestle
3Proto-Malayichalupestle
4Proto-Malayo-Polynesian*qahəlu—
5Proto-AustronesianqaSəlupestle

via Malay alu-alu

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Malayalu-alubarracuda
2Proto-Malayo-Polynesian*qalubarracuda
Every word from Proto-Austronesian qaSəlu →Every word from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *qahəlu →Every word from Proto-Malayic halu →
alu-alu — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer