Etymology

aloha

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Today it means: Good wishes, love, compassion, peacefulness and affection. Full definition →

First used 19th c.Hawaiian aloha ← Proto-Polynesian *qarofa ← Proto-Oceanic *qalopan
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aloha · noun, interjection1

  1. Proto-Austronesian*qaləp
  2. Proto-Austronesian*qaləpan
  3. Proto-Malayo-Polynesian*qaləpan
  4. Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian*qaləpan
  5. Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian*qaləpan
  6. Proto-Oceanic*qalopan
  7. Proto-Polynesian*qarofa
  8. Hawaiianaloha
  9. English todayaloha

Borrowed from Hawaiian aloha (“love”), from Proto-Polynesian *qarofa. Doublet of aroha and aropa.

Aloha · proper noun2

  1. Hawaiian · derived fromaloha“love”
  2. English todayAloha

Most seem to be from Hawaiian aloha (“love”).

Words from the same roots

Proto-Polynesian*qarofa all →

aropa

First known use, by meaning

  • from 19th c. Good wishes, love, compassion, peacefulness and affection.
  • from 19th c. An utterance of aloha (see Interjection, below).
  • from 19th c. Expressing good wishes when greeting or parting from someone; hello; goodbye.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.