Where does “hantu” come from?

hantu (Malay) comes from Proto-Malayic hantu, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian qanitu, from Proto-Austronesian qaNiCu — ghost; owl.

hantu (Malay): ghost; demon

Definitions

  1. ghost; demon

Ancestry of “hantu”, step by step

hantu traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Proto-Malayic hantu

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Malayichantughost; owl
2Proto-Malayo-Polynesianqanitughost; owl
3Proto-AustronesianqaNiCughost; owl

via Proto-Malayo-Chamic *hantu

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Malayo-Chamic*hantu—

Words derived from “hantu”

Every word from Proto-Austronesian qaNiCu →Every word from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian qanitu →Every word from Proto-Malayic hantu →