Etymology Explorer › Samoan

Where does “fafine” come from?

fafine (Samoan) comes from Proto-Polynesian fafine, from Proto-Oceanic papine, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian babinahi, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian bahi, from Proto-Austronesian bahi — female, woman.

fafine (Samoan): woman; female

Definitions

  1. woman; female

Ancestry of “fafine”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Polynesianfafinewoman
2Proto-Oceanicpapine—
3Proto-Malayo-Polynesianbabinahi—
4Proto-Malayo-Polynesianbahi—
5Proto-Austronesianbahifemale, woman

Words derived from “fafine”

  • fa'afafine
  • soafafine
  • fa'afafine
Every word from Proto-Austronesian bahi →