Where does “mate” come from?

mate (Tongan) comes from Proto-Polynesian mate, from Proto-Oceanic mate, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian (m-)atay, from Proto-Austronesian aCay.

mate (Tongan): death; the dead; dead

Definitions

  1. death; the dead; dead

Ancestry of “mate”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Polynesianmatedeath
2Proto-Oceanicmateto die, to be dead
3Proto-Malayo-Polynesian(m-)atayto die
4Proto-AustronesianaCay—
Every word from Proto-Austronesian aCay →