Where does “kawan” come from?

kawan (Malay) comes from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kaban — companion, member of a group (of animals or people); friend.

kawan (Malay): friend; flock; I

Definitions

  1. friend; flock; I

Ancestry of “kawan”, step by step

kawan traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kaban

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Malayo-Polynesian*kabancompanion, member of a group (of animals or people); friend

via Proto-Malayic *kaban

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Malayic*kabancompanion, follower

Words derived from “kawan

Every word from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kaban