the word 'tiki' entered english in the late 18th century, borrowed directly from māori, the indigenous language of new zealand. in māori mythology, tiki is the name of the first created man, and by extension, the term applies to carved humanoid figures representing ancestors or deities. the concept and term spread to other polynesian cultures with related meanings. in the 20th century, particularly after world war ii, the term was adopted into american english to name a style of themed bars and restaurants that evoked an idealized, commercialized version of polynesian culture, solidifying its dual modern meanings.

the word 'tiki' is a simplex loanword from maori, where it is a proper name for the first man in māori mythology and also denotes carved figures. it has no further segmentable morphemes in english.