English
Polynesia
Polynesia comes from French Polynésie.
- Frenchc. 1600–presentPolynésie
- EnglishtodayPolynesia
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Frenchc. 1600–presentPolynésie
- EnglishtodayPolynesia
A compound of πολύς ‘many’ + νῆσος ‘island’
Proto-Indo-European *pleh₁- ‘to fill’
Proto-Indo-European *polh₁ús ‘much, many’
Ancient Greek πολύς ‘many’
Proto-Indo-European *(s)neh₂- ‘to flow, to swim’
Ancient Greek νῆσος ‘island’
The story
Borrowed from French Polynésie (coined by Charles de Brosses in 1756), from Ancient Greek πολύς (polús, “many”) + νῆσος (nêsos, “island”). According to Moon Handbooks Tahiti, de Brosses first used the term to refer to all Pacific islands. The present restricted use was established by J.
Every English word from French Polynésie
Today it means
name A continental region of Oceania, including Easter Island, Hawaii, New Zealand, and most of the islands between them.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / French Polynésie / Polynesia