Where does “Wanuatu” come from?

Wanuatu (Pitcairn-Norfolk) comes from English Vanuatu, from Bislama Vanuatu, from Undetermined vanua, from Proto-Oceanic panua, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *banua, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *banua, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian banua, from Proto-Austronesian banua — inhabited land.

Ancestry of “Wanuatu”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishVanuatu
2BislamaVanuatu
3Undeterminedvanualand
4Proto-Oceanicpanuainhabited area or territory
5Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian*banua
6Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian*banua
7Proto-Malayo-Polynesianbanuainhabited land
8Proto-Austronesianbanuainhabited land
Every word from Proto-Austronesian banuaEvery word from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian banuaEvery word from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *banua
Wanuatu — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer