faai

South Efate

Etymology

From Proto-Oceanic *fai, from Proto-Oceanic *paʀi, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *paʀih, from Proto-Austronesian *paʀiS.

cognates

Pukapukan wai (“stingray”),
Maori whai (“stingray, skate - fish of family Rajidae”).

Noun

faai

1. stingray (venomous ray of the orders Rajiformes and Myliobatiformes)

Hyponyms

• faai mantu (Identified as both manta ray and, devil ray)
• faai kuul (bluespotted ribbontail ray), Taeniura lymma
• faai p̃og (spotted eagle ray), Aetobatus narinari
• faai pumat (bluespotted stingray), Dasyatis kuhlii
• faai suar (eagle ray)

Further reading

Nicholas Thieberger (2011-05-05) Dictionary of South Efate