Where does “anai-anai” come from?
anai-anai (Malay) comes from Proto-Malayic *anay-anay, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *anay, from Proto-Austronesian *anay — termite, white ant any insect of infraorder.
anai-anai (Malay): termite insect
Definitions
- termite insect
Ancestry of “anai-anai”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proto-Malayic | *anay-anay | insect of the order Isoptera: termite, white ant |
| 2 | Proto-Malayo-Polynesian | *anay | termite, white ant any insect of infraorder |
| 3 | Proto-Austronesian | *anay | termite, white ant any insect of infraorder |