kiwi (Spanish)

Where does "kiwi" come from?

The Spanish word 'kiwi' was borrowed from English 'kiwi'[1], which itself derives from the Maori 'kiwi'[1][2]. The Maori term ultimately traces back through Proto-Polynesian '*kiu', Proto-Oceanic '*kiuk', and Proto-Malayo-Polynesian '*kiuk', meaning 'cheep, peep'[3]. This ancestral form likely originated as an onomatopoeic representation of the bird's cry[3].

Open questions

• The ancestral Proto-Malayo-Polynesian form '*kiuk' is a linguistic reconstruction rather than an directly attested historical form. [3]
• The derivation of the ancient forms as an onomatopoeic imitation of a bird cry is considered probable rather than certain. [3]

Full etymology tree

• kiwi (Spanish), 'kiwi (bird)'
  • borrowed kiwi (English), 'A flightless bird of the order Apterygiformes native to New Zealand.'
    • borrowed kiwi (Maori), 'kiwi (bird)'
      • inherited *kiu (Proto-Polynesian)
        • inherited *kiuk (Proto-Oceanic)
          • inherited *kiuk (Proto-Malayo-Polynesian)

Ancestors

• kiwi (English)
• kiwi (Maori)

Sources

1. kiwi (Spanish) - Wiktionary
2. kiwi (English) - Wiktionary
3. kiwi (Maori) - Wiktionary

Updated August 2026

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Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris