Where does “moto” come from?

moto (Lingala) comes from Swahili moto, from Proto-Bantu *mʊ̀jótò, from Proto-Bantu *-jóta, from Proto-Atlantic-Congo *-jot- — to burn (of a fire).

moto (Lingala): person, man, human

Definitions

  1. person, man, human

Ancestry of “moto”, step by step

moto traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Swahili moto

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Swahilimotofire, flame; energy, charge; heat, temperature,...
2Proto-Bantu*mʊ̀jótòfire
3Proto-Bantu*-jótato warm oneself
4Proto-Atlantic-Congo*-jot-to burn (of a fire)

via Bangi mutu

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Bangimutuman
2Proto-Bantu*mʊ̀ntʊ̀—
3Proto-Atlantic-Congo*-nintuperson
Every word from Proto-Atlantic-Congo *-jot- →Every word from Proto-Bantu *-jóta →Every word from Proto-Bantu *mʊ̀jótò →