Where does “tapu” come from?

tapu (Rapa Nui) comes from Proto-Polynesian tapu, from Proto-Oceanic tabu, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian tambu, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian tambu.

tapu (Rapa Nui): sacred, taboo

Definitions

  1. sacred, taboo

Ancestry of “tapu”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Polynesiantaputaboo
2Proto-Oceanictabu—
3Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesiantambu—
4Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesiantambu—
Every word from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian tambu →Every word from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian tambu →Every word from Proto-Oceanic tabu →
tapu — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer