Where does “faifai” come from?

faifai (Tokelauan) comes from Tokelauan fai, from Proto-Polynesian *fai, from Proto-Oceanic *paʀi, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian paʀih, from Proto-Austronesian paʀiS — ray.

faifai (Tokelauan): to do repeatedly

Definitions

  1. to do repeatedly

Ancestry of “faifai”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Tokelauanfaito do
2Proto-Polynesian*fairay marine fish with a flat body, large wing-like fins, and a whip-like tail
3Proto-Oceanic*paʀistingray
4Proto-Malayo-Polynesianpaʀihray
5Proto-AustronesianpaʀiSray
Every word from Proto-Austronesian paʀiS →Every word from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian paʀih →Every word from Proto-Oceanic *paʀi →