Where does “lau” come from?

lau (Samoan) comes from Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *lau, from Proto-Polynesian rau, from Proto-Oceanic raun, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian dahun — leaf.

lau (Samoan): leaf; hundred

Definitions

  1. leaf; hundred

Ancestry of “lau”, step by step

lau traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *lau

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Nuclear Polynesian*lau—
2Proto-Polynesianrauhundred
3Proto-OceanicraunUsed to count certain objects
4Proto-Malayo-Polynesiandahunleaf

via Proto-Malayo-Polynesian ʀatus

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Malayo-Polynesianʀatushundred
2Proto-AustronesianʀaCushundred
Every word from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian dahun →Every word from Proto-Oceanic raun →Every word from Proto-Polynesian rau →