kawani

Borrowed from Malay kerani (“clerk”) (written in Jawi as کراني‎), ultimately from Tamil கிராணி (kirāṇi, “clerk”) or from Sanskrit करण (karaṇa, “scribe”). According to Potet (2016), when the word was introduced to Tagalog, the Jawi letter ر‎ (“r”) was probably mistaken for the letter و‎ (“w”). According to Panganiban (1972), the word is from ka- +‎ wani.

• Hyphenation: ka‧wa‧ni
• IPA^(key): /kawaˈni/, [kɐ.wɐˈni]

kawaní

1. (formal) employee

   Synonyms: empleyado, tauhan

   kawani ng pamahalaan

   government employee

2. helper; aid; assistant

   Synonyms: katulong, katulungin

• kawanihan

• Potet, Jean-Paul G. (2016) Tagalog Borrowings and Cognates, Lulu Press, →ISBN, pages 103
• Panganiban, José Villa (1972) Diksyunaryo-Tesauro Pilipino-Ingles, Quezon City: Manlapaz Publishing Co., page 276
• Zorc, David Paul (1981) Core Etymological Dictionary of Filipino: Part 2‎, page 83