Where does “kaitangata” come from?

kaitangata (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 “kaitangata”, step by step

kaitangata 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 tangata

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Maoritangatahuman being, person, man
2Proto-Polynesiantaŋataman, person
3Proto-Oceanic*tamʷatahuman being, person
Every word from Proto-Austronesian kaən