Etymology Explorer › Rapa Nui

Where does “tangata” come from?

tangata (Rapa Nui) comes from Proto-Polynesian taŋata, from Proto-Oceanic *tamʷata.

tangata (Rapa Nui): human being; man; person

Definitions

  1. human being; man; person

Ancestry of “tangata”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Polynesiantaŋataman, person
2Proto-Oceanic*tamʷata—

Words derived from “tangata”

  • tangata rongo
  • tangata rongorongo
  • tangata manu
Every word from Proto-Oceanic *tamʷata →