Where does “voanio” come from?

voanio (Malagasy) comes from Malagasy voa, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian buaq, from Proto-Austronesian buaq — fruit.

voanio (Malagasy): coconut

Definitions

  1. coconut

Ancestry of “voanio”, step by step

voanio traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Malagasy voa

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Malagasyvoafruit; seed, grain; kidney
2Proto-Malayo-Polynesianbuaqfruit
3Proto-Austronesianbuaqfruit

via Malagasy nio

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Malagasyniococonut
2Proto-Austronesian*niuʀ—
Every word from Proto-Austronesian buaq →Every word from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian buaq →Every word from Malagasy voa →