kanaka

English

noun

Definitions

A person of Hawaiian descent.
(historical) A South Pacific Islander, especially a labourer in Australia or Canada.

Etymology

Derived from Hawaiian kanaka (person, man) derived from Proto-Polynesian *taŋata.

Origin

Proto-Polynesian

*taŋata

Gloss

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms

Canuck English
Kanak English
Kanake German
canaque French
canaque Portuguese
kanaka Tok Pisin
kanaka Hawaiian
tangata Maori
*taŋata Proto-Polynesian
tangata Rapa Nui
tagata Samoan
tangata Tongan (Tonga Islands)
taʻata Tahitian
tagata Tuvaluan
tagata Wallisian

Kanak
Canuck