Where does “kaimoana” come from?

kaimoana (Maori) comes from Maori kai, from Proto-Polynesian kai, from Proto-Oceanic kani, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian kaən, from Proto-Austronesian kaən — to eat.

Ancestry of “kaimoana”, step by step

kaimoana traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Maori kai

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Maorikaito eat; food
2Proto-Polynesiankaifood
3Proto-Oceanickanito eat consume
4Proto-Malayo-Polynesiankaənto eat
5Proto-Austronesiankaənto eat

via Maori moana

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Maorimoanaocean, sea
2Proto-Polynesianmoanaocean sea beyond the reef
3Proto-Oceanic*masawaŋopen sea
4Proto-Oceanic*sawaŋ
5Proto-Austronesian*sawaŋ
Every word from Proto-Austronesian kaən