anito

From Spanish anito, Tagalog anito, Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *qanitu, Proto-Austronesian *qaNiCu.

anito (countable and uncountable, plural anitos)

1. (countable) ancestor spirit in Indigenous Philippine folk religions

   Hyponym: taotao

2. (uncountable) Synonym of anitism (“folk religion of the Philippines”)

• -ation, Aiton, Naito, Otani, Taino, Taíno, Tiano, Tonia

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *qanitu (c.f. Samoan aitu, Malay hantu), from Proto-Austronesian *qaNiCu (c.f. Bunun hanitu).

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ʔaˈnito/ [ʔɐˈni.to]
• Rhymes: -ito
• Syllabification: a‧ni‧to

anito (Baybayin spelling ᜀᜈᜒᜆᜓ)

1. idol; heathen deity; god

   Synonym: diyos-diyosan

2. idolatry; animism

   Synonym: animismo

3. superstitious custom; superstitious practice

   Synonym: pamahiin

4. amulet

• diwata
• engkanto
• anino

Univerbation of ani +‎ nito.

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ˈʔanito/ [ˈʔa.nɪ.to]
• Rhymes: -anito
• Syllabification: a‧ni‧to

ánitó (Baybayin spelling ᜀᜈᜒᜆᜓ)

1. according to this

• “anito”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, Manila, 2018
• Blust, Robert, Trussel, Stephen (2010–) “*qaNiCu”, in The Austronesian Comparative Dictionary

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *qanitu (compare Samoan aitu, Malay hantu, from Proto-Austronesian *qaNiCu (compare Bunun hanitu).

anito

1. evil spirit