Where does “Aotearoa” come from?

Aotearoa (Maori) comes from Maori ao, from Proto-Polynesian qao — cloud.

Aotearoa (Maori): long white cloud; North Island; New Zealand; long...

Definitions

  1. long white cloud; North Island; New Zealand; long...

Ancestry of “Aotearoa”, step by step

Aotearoa traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Maori ao

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Maoriaodaytime; world; cloud
2Proto-Polynesianqaocloud

via Maori tea

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Maoriteawhite
2Polynesian*tea—

via Maori roa

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Maoriroalong; tall; slow
2Proto-Polynesianloalong

Words derived from “Aotearoa”

Every word from Proto-Polynesian qao →Every word from Maori ao →