Where does “ababay” come from?

ababay (Rukai) comes from Proto-Rukai *a-babay, from Proto-Austronesian ba-bahi, from Proto-Austronesian bahi — female, woman.

ababay (Rukai): woman

Definitions

  1. woman

Ancestry of “ababay”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Rukai*a-babaywoman
2Proto-Austronesianba-bahiwoman; female
3Proto-Austronesianbahifemale, woman
Every word from Proto-Austronesian bahi →Every word from Proto-Austronesian ba-bahi →Every word from Proto-Rukai *a-babay →