Where does “kutu” come from?

kutu (Proto-Eastern Polynesian) comes from Proto-Nuclear Polynesian kutu, from Proto-Polynesian kutu, from Proto-Oceanic kutu, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian kutu, from Austronesian *kutu, from Proto-Austronesian *kuCux — louse insect.

Ancestry of “kutu”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Nuclear Polynesiankutu
2Proto-Polynesiankutulouse
3Proto-Oceanickutulouse generic
4Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesiankutu
5Austronesian*kutu
6Proto-Austronesian*kuCuxlouse insect
Every word from Proto-Austronesian *kuCuxEvery word from Austronesian *kutuEvery word from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian kutu