Where does “tabu” come from?

tabu (Serbo-Croatian) comes from English taboo, from Tongan tapu, from Proto-Polynesian tapu, from Proto-Oceanic tabu, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian tambu, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian tambu.

tabu (Serbo-Croatian): taboo

Definitions

  1. taboo

Ancestry of “tabu”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtabooAn inhibition or ban that results from social...
2Tongantapuprohibited, sacred
3Proto-Polynesiantaputaboo
4Proto-Oceanictabu—
5Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesiantambu—
6Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesiantambu—
Every word from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian tambu →Every word from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian tambu →Every word from Proto-Oceanic tabu →