English
huhu beetle
Huhu beetle comes from Māori huhu ‘huhu grub, the larval form of Prionoplus…’, from Proto-Polynesian *fufu ‘weevil that infests wood, bamboo, and rice’, and ultimately from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *bukbuk.
- Proto-Malayo-Polynesianprehistoric (reconstructed)*bukbuk‘weevil that infests wood, bamboo, and rice’reconstructed
- Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesianprehistoric (reconstructed)*bubukreconstructed
- Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesianprehistoric (reconstructed)same formreconstructed
- Proto-Oceanicprehistoric (reconstructed)*pupukreconstructed
- Proto-Polynesianprehistoric (reconstructed)*fufu‘weevil that infests wood, bamboo, and rice’reconstructed
- Māorimodernhuhu‘huhu grub, the larval form of Prionoplus reticularis’
- Englishearliest quotation 1983huhu beetle
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Malayo-Polynesianprehistoric (reconstructed)*bukbuk‘weevil that infests wood, bamboo, and rice’reconstructed
- Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesianprehistoric (reconstructed)*bubukreconstructed
- Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesianprehistoric (reconstructed)same formreconstructed
- Proto-Oceanicprehistoric (reconstructed)*pupukreconstructed
- Proto-Polynesianprehistoric (reconstructed)*fufu‘weevil that infests wood, bamboo, and rice’reconstructed
- Māorimodernhuhu‘huhu grub, the larval form of Prionoplus reticularis’
- Englishearliest quotation 1983huhu beetle
Earliest quotation: 1983, Keri Hulme, The Bone People: “Last night, a huhu beetle tapped on the window.”
Every English word from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *bukbuk
Today it means
noun A longhorn beetle, Prionoplus reticularis, of the Cerambycidae family; the largest endemic beetle found in New Zealand.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *bukbuk / huhu beetle