Where does “maori” come from?
maori (Portuguese) comes from Maori Māori, from Proto-Polynesian ma(a)qoli — true, real, genuine.
maori (Portuguese): Maori
Ancestry of “maori”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Maori | Māori | Maori; Maori; normal |
| 2 | Proto-Polynesian | ma(a)qoli | true, real, genuine |