Fānau
/faːˈnau/noun
A Polynesian word referring to family, children, descendants, or birth, depending on the language.
Did you know?In Samoan, fānau can mean both “children” and “to give birth,” linking family identity directly to ancestry and the act of creation.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Polynesian
Proto-Polynesian
*fanau
“To give birth; offspring or descendants”
Early Polynesian
Polynesian
fanau
“Birth, children, descendants, or family”
Ancient Tahitic languages
Eastern Polynesian
fānau
“To be born; offspring or family”
Māori
Māori
whānau
“Family, especially the extended family or kin group”
Samoan
Samoan
fānau
“Children, offspring, family, or to give birth”
Modern English usage
English
fānau
“A Polynesian cultural term used in English-language contexts for family, kinship, or descendants”