Where does “riri” come from?

riri (Rotokas) comes from Tok Pisin nil, from English nail, from Middle English nail, from Old English næġl, from Proto-West Germanic nagl, from Proto-Germanic naglaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₃nogʰ- — claw, nail; nail.

riri (Rotokas): nail metal fastener

Definitions

  1. nail metal fastener

Ancestry of “riri”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Tok Pisinnilneedle; thorn
2EnglishnailThe thin, horny plate at the ends of fingers and...
3Middle EnglishnailAlternative form of nayl
4Old Englishnæġlnail
5Proto-West Germanicnaglnail; nail or peg used for fastening
6Proto-Germanicnaglaznail; nail or peg used for fastening
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃nogʰ-claw, nail; nail
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃nogʰ-Every word from Proto-Germanic naglazEvery word from Proto-West Germanic nagl