Where does “nhonha” come from?

nhonha (Macanese) comes from Malay nyonya, from Portuguese dona, from Old Portuguese dona, from Late Latin domna, from Latin domina, from Latin Dominus, from Latin domus, from Proto-Italic domos — to build; to arrange, to put together.

nhonha (Macanese): girl

Definitions

  1. girl

Ancestry of “nhonha”, step by step

nhonha traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Malay nyonya

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1MalaynyonyaA Nyonya; a female Peranakan; wife
2Portuguesedonafemale equivalent of dono; A title of address to...
3Old Portuguesedona
4Late Latindomnalady, mistress
5Latindominalady or mistress of the house
6LatinDominusthe Lord; Lord; The Lord
7Latindomushouse, home; any building or abode; native place,...
8Proto-Italicdomoshouse, home
9Proto-Indo-Europeandṓmhome; house
10Proto-Indo-Europeandem-to build; to arrange, to put together

via Portuguese senhora

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1PortuguesesenhoraA lady; Mistress
2Old PortuguesesenhorAlternative form of sennor
3Latinseniorolder, elder; rather old; a lord, sir; an abbot
4Latinsenexold, aged, elderly; old person, old man, old...
5Proto-Indo-Europeansénosold
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dem-Every word from Proto-Indo-European dṓmEvery word from Proto-Italic domos
nhonha — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer