Where does “fefine” come from?

fefine (Tongan) comes from Proto-Polynesian fafine, from Proto-Oceanic papine, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian babinahi, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian bahi, from Proto-Austronesian bahi — female, woman.

fefine (Tongan): woman

Definitions

  1. woman

Ancestry of “fefine”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Polynesianfafinewoman
2Proto-Oceanicpapinewoman
3Proto-Malayo-Polynesianbabinahi—
4Proto-Malayo-Polynesianbahiwoman
5Proto-Austronesianbahifemale, woman
Every word from Proto-Austronesian bahi →Every word from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian bahi →Every word from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian babinahi →