Where does “kau” come from?

kau (Rapa Nui) comes 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.

kau (Rapa Nui): to swim

Definitions

  1. to swim

Ancestry of “kau”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Polynesiankauwood; tree
2Proto-Oceanickayuwood; tree
3Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesiankayu—
4Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesiankayu—
5Proto-Malayo-Polynesiankahiwwood; tree
6Proto-AustronesiankaSiwwood; tree
Every word from Proto-Austronesian kaSiw →Every word from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian kahiw →Every word from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian kayu →
kau — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer