pōpolo

Hawaiian

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *polo; cognate with Maori poroporo and pōporo (Solanum aviculare), Tongan polo (“Solanum nigrum”) and Tuvaluan 'opolo (“capsicum”).[1] Skin color meaning comes from analogy to the color of its berries.

Noun

pōpolo

  1. black nightshade (Solanum nigrum)
  2. (slang, countable, sometimes pejorative) a black person

Descendants
  • → English: popolo

References
  1. “Polo”, in Te Māra Reo: The Language Garden‎, Benton Family Trust, 2022

Further reading
  • Pukui, Mary Kawena, Elbert, Samuel H. (1986) “pōpolo”, in Hawaiian Dictionary‎, revised & enlarged edition, Honolulu, HI: University of Hawai'i Press, →ISBN
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