Where does “kiko kau” come from?

kiko kau (Maori) comes from Maori kau, from Proto-Polynesian kau, from Proto-Oceanic kayu, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian kayu, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian kayu, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian kahiw, from Proto-Austronesian kaSiw — wood; tree.

Ancestry of “kiko kau”, step by step

kiko kau traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Maori kau

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Maorikautree; wood; stick; to swim
2Proto-Polynesiankauwood; tree
3Proto-Oceanickayuwood; tree
4Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesiankayu
5Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesiankayu
6Proto-Malayo-Polynesiankahiwwood; tree
7Proto-AustronesiankaSiwwood; tree

via Maori kiko

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Maorikiko
Every word from Proto-Austronesian kaSiwEvery word from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian kahiwEvery word from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian kayu