English
Fiji
Fiji comes from Tongan Fisi, and goes back to Proto-Polynesian *fiti.
- Proto-Polynesianprehistoric (reconstructed)*fitinext step skipped: Fijian Viti
- TonganmodernFisi
- Englishearliest quotation 2016Fiji
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Polynesianprehistoric (reconstructed)*fitinext step skipped: Fijian Viti
- TonganmodernFisi
- Englishearliest quotation 2016Fiji
Earliest quotation: 2016, 2015 POPULATION AND HOUSING CENSUS: “Going to Christmas island may take several days with…”
The story
The English spelling ‘Fiji’ was popularized by Captain James Cook’s phonetic transcription of the 18th‐century Tongan pronunciation.
Every English word from Proto-Polynesian *fiti
Today it means
name A country and archipelago of over 300 islands in Melanesia in Oceania. Capital and largest city: Suva.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Polynesian *fiti / Fiji