Etymology Map
Back to all words

Aye-aye

3 stages from Malagasy to English.

Today it means A rare, nocturnal lemur native to Madagascar, notable for its large eyes, rodent-like teeth, and long, thin middle finger used to extract grubs from wood.

Where does the word "aye-aye" come from? It comes from Malagasy hai-hai, passing through French before entering English (1800s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
hai-hai
Malagasy · long-standing
"an avoidance name for a rare nocturnal lemur"
Malagasy communities traditionally avoided naming this feared, taboo nocturnal animal directly
2
Stage 2 of 3
aye-aye
French · 1780s
"a small nocturnal lemur species"
French naturalist Sonnerat recorded the Malagasy name while cataloguing Madagascar's wildlife
3
Stage 3 of 3
aye-aye
English · 1800s
"a rare nocturnal lemur native to Madagascar"
entered English zoological vocabulary alongside French natural-history accounts
Drag to pan · scroll to zoom