Where does “nifoa” come from?
nifoa (Samoan) comes from Samoan nifo, from Proto-Polynesian nifo, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian nipən, from Proto-Austronesian nipən — tooth.
nifoa (Samoan): toothed; having teeth
Ancestry of “nifoa”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Samoan | nifo | tooth, tusk; horn |
| 2 | Proto-Polynesian | nifo | tooth |
| 3 | Proto-Malayo-Polynesian | nipən | tooth |
| 4 | Proto-Austronesian | nipən | tooth |