Where does “ayah” come from?
ayah (Indonesian) comes from Malay ayah, from Hindi आया, from Portuguese aia, from Latin avia, from Latin avus, from Proto-Celtic abū, from Proto-Indo-European h₂ep- — water, body of water.
ayah (Indonesian): father
Definitions
- father
Ancestry of “ayah”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malay | ayah | father; nursemaid, usually one of Indian ancestry |
| 2 | Hindi | आया | ayah: nurse maid, nurse |
| 3 | Portuguese | aia | lady-in-waiting; tutor, teacher; chambermaid |
| 4 | Latin | avia | grandmother; groundsel; singular feminine... |
| 5 | Latin | avus | grandfather; an ancestor, a progenitor, a... |
| 6 | Proto-Celtic | abū | river |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ep- | water, body of water |