ʻIvi
/ˈʔi.vi/noun
In Tongan, ʻivi means “bone” and can also refer to physical strength, power, or inner force.
Did you know?Across Polynesia, the word for “bone” often developed an extended meaning of strength, lineage, or essential inner power.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Polynesian
PPN
*ivi
“Bone; the hard inner framework of the body”
Early Polynesian
Polynesian
*ivi
“Bone, strength, or vital substance”
Traditional Tongan
Tongan
ʻivi
“Bone; bodily strength or force”
Modern Tongan
Tongan
ʻivi
“Bone, power, strength, or essence”
Modern English contexts
English
ʻivi
“A Tongan cultural or linguistic term, usually retained with its glottal mark”