Where does “kababaihan” come from?
kababaihan (Tagalog) comes from Tagalog babae, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian ba-bahi, from Proto-Austronesian ba-bahi, from Proto-Austronesian bahi — female, woman.
kababaihan (Tagalog): femininity, womanhood
Definitions
- femininity, womanhood
Ancestry of “kababaihan”, step by step
kababaihan traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Tagalog babae
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tagalog | babae | woman; girl; female; mistress; concubine |
| 2 | Proto-Malayo-Polynesian | ba-bahi | woman |
| 3 | Proto-Austronesian | ba-bahi | woman; female |
| 4 | Proto-Austronesian | bahi | female, woman |
via Arabic نِسَاء
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arabic | نِسَاء | women |
| 2 | Arabic | قَلْعَة النِسَاء | Fort of the Women |
via Tagalog ka- -han
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tagalog | ka- -han | — |