fonu

See also: fönu

Chuukese

Etymology

From Proto-Micronesian *fanua, from Proto-Oceanic *panua, from Proto-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *banua, from Proto-Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian *banua, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *banua, from Proto-Austronesian *banua. Cognate with Tahitian fenua.

Noun

fonu

1. land
2. island

Tongan

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fo.nu/

Etymology 1

From Proto-Polynesian *fonu, from Proto-Oceanic *poñu, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *pəñu, from Proto-Austronesian *pəñu.

Noun

fonu

1. turtle, sea turtle

   ʻI hono fōfoa‘í pē, ‘oku ‘alu leva e fanga ki‘i fonu valevalé ki he ‘ōsení.

   Once hatched, the baby turtles make their way to the ocean.

2. kind of beetle (very shiny) (shaped like a turtle)

Etymology 2

From Proto-Oceanic *ponuq, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *pənuq.

Adjective

fonu

1. full (of container or its contents, or of a notebook etc.)

   ‘I he ngaahi founga fē ‘e malava ai ke tau fakahāhā ‘oku tau fonu ‘i he mēsi?

   In what ways can we show that we are full of mercy?

Tuvaluan

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *fonu, from Proto-Oceanic *poñu, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *pəñu, from Proto-Austronesian *pəñu.

Noun

fonu

1. turtle, sea turtle

   A ko ou tāgata ne olo ki te ulugā honu.

   And those guys have gone to get the two turtles.