Where does “ayah” come from?

ayah (Malay) comes from Hindi आया, from Portuguese aia, from Latin avia, from Latin avus, from Proto-Celtic abū, from Proto-Indo-European h₂ep- — water, body of water.

ayah (Malay): father; nursemaid, usually one of Indian ancestry

Definitions

father; nursemaid, usually one of Indian ancestry

Ancestry of “ayah”, step by step

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	Hindi	आया	ayah: nurse maid, nurse
2	Portuguese	aia	lady-in-waiting; tutor, teacher; chambermaid
3	Latin	avia	grandmother; groundsel; singular feminine...
4	Latin	avus	grandfather; an ancestor, a progenitor, a...
5	Proto-Celtic	abū	river
6	Proto-Indo-European	h₂ep-	water, body of water

Words derived from “ayah”

ayah
emak ayah
ayahanda
ayah kandung
ajah

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂ep- →Every word from Proto-Celtic abū →Every word from Latin avus →