Kalo
/ˈkɑːloʊ/noun
A Hawaiian name for taro, a starchy root crop traditionally cultivated as a staple food.
Did you know?In Hawaiian tradition, kalo is associated with Hāloa, the elder brother and ancestor of the Hawaiian people, giving the plant deep genealogical and spiritual significance.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Oceanic
POc
*talo
“Taro or edible aroid root; a reconstructed ancestral form”
Proto-Polynesian
PPN
*talo
“Taro”
Ancient Polynesian languages
Polynesian
talo
“Taro; the form is retained in several Polynesian languages”
Pre-contact Hawaii
Hawaiian
kalo
“Taro; Hawaiian regularly reflects ancestral Polynesian t as k”
19th Century–Modern English
English
kalo
“A Hawaiian taro plant or its edible root, used especially in discussions of Hawaiian culture and agriculture”