English words of Māori origin
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Wikipedia,
the free encyclopedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_English_words_of_Maori_origin
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Words of (New Zealand) Māori origin have entered many languages. Many such words have entered New Zealand English and are considered native words. Some of those words have in turn been exported from New Zealand English to other branches of the English language and to other languages.
Flora and fauna
The accepted English common names of a number of species of animal and plant endemic to New Zealand are simply their Māori names or a very close equivalent:
- kauri
- a large conifer in the Araucariaceae
- kea
- the alpine parrot
- kiwi
- the bird, a New Zealander, or sometimes (not in New Zealand) the kiwi fruit
- mako
- the shark considered a magnificent fighter by game-fisherman
- moa
- the extinct giant flightless bird
- tuatara
- rare lizard-like reptile, not closely related to any other species currently alive
Placenames
Thousands of Māori placenames (or very close equivalents) are now official; These include
Other words and phrases
- aroha
- love and compassion
- haka
- traditional Māori dance, not always a war-dance, often performed by New Zealand sports teams, both local and international, to 'intimidate' opponents
- hāngi
- traditional feast prepared in earth-oven
- hikoi
- march or walk
- hui
- meeting
- iwi
- tribe
- kai
- meaning "food"; also "kai moana" meaning "sea food"
- kia kaha
- an expression of support, literally "be strong"
- kia ora
- a greeting, literally be healthy
- koha
- a gift or donation
- mahinga maataitai/mataitai
- traditional seafood gathering place
- mana
- very roughly, the regard in which someone is held; respect of their authority; reputation
- mihi
- literally meaning hommage or respect, sometimes used in sense of internet board or forum message
- moko
- facial tattoo
- pā
- a hill fort
- Pākehā
- New Zealander of non-Māori descent, usually European
- Papakāinga
- Land utilised for housing for an iwi/hapu or whanau group
- Ngaire
- silver fern
pounamu : Greenstone
- puku
- tummy
- tangata whenua
- literally people of the land, an alternative name for Māori
- tangi
- funeral and/or wake
- taonga
- sacred treasure or gift
- tauranga waka
- landing places where waka were drawn out of the water
- utu
- retribution
waahi tapu : sacred sites
- waka
- canoe
- whānau
- family
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Published - January 2009
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