Where does “afovato” come from?

afovato (Malagasy) comes from Malagasy vato, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian batu, from Proto-Austronesian *batux — rock; stone.

afovato (Malagasy): flint

Definitions

  1. flint

Ancestry of “afovato”, step by step

afovato traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Malagasy vato

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Malagasyvatorock, stone, cobble
2Proto-Malayo-Polynesianbatustone
3Proto-Austronesian*batuxrock; stone

via Malagasy afo

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Malagasyafofire; calamity
2Proto-Malayo-Polynesianhapuyfire
3Proto-AustronesianSapuyfire
Every word from Proto-Austronesian *batux →