Where does “kai” come from?

kai (Rapa Nui) comes from Proto-Polynesian kai, from Proto-Oceanic kani, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian kaən, from Proto-Austronesian kaən — to eat.

kai (Rapa Nui): to eat; food; not

Definitions

  1. to eat; food; not

Ancestry of “kai”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Polynesiankaifood
2Proto-Oceanickanito eat consume
3Proto-Malayo-Polynesiankaənto eat
4Proto-Austronesiankaənto eat

Words derived from “kai”

Every word from Proto-Austronesian kaən →Every word from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian kaən →Every word from Proto-Oceanic kani →