Aloha

Aloha was borrowed from the Hawaiian aloha to the English language. The Hawaiian word has evolved from the Proto-Polynesian greeting *qarofa, which also meant "love, pity, or compassion". It is further thought to be evolved from Proto-Oceanic root *qarop(-i) meaning "feel pity, empathy, be sorry for", which in turn descends from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *h(a)rep. A common folk etymology derives Aloha from Proto-Polynesian roots alo, meaning 'presence' or 'face' and ha, meaning 'breath,' making the literal meaning something close to 'the presence of breath' or 'the face of breath'. == See also ==