Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

pōtae

1. (verb) (-a,-hia,-ria,-tia) to put on the head.

Ka mutu tēnei inoi ka mauria mai e ia te karauna ka pōtaea ki te mātenga o te kīngi (TP 6/1911:5). / When this prayer was finished he took the crown and placed it on the king's head.

Show example

Hide example


2. (verb) (-a,-hia,-ria,-tia) to put over the head (e.g. as a noose).

Ka hangā he tari, ā ka hoatu, ka pōtaeria ki tōna upoko (W 1971:391). / A noose was made and then placed over his head.

Show example

Hide example


3. (verb) (-a,-hia,-ria,-tia) to encircle, surround, envelope.


4. (noun) cap, hat, beret, top hat, stetson, beanie, covering for the head.

Ka pukuriri ia ki a mātau, ka patua mātau e ia ki tōna pōtae harakeke (HP 1991:24). / When he was angry with us he would hit us with his flax hat.

Show example

Hide example

piwara hāte

1. (loan) (noun) beaver felt top hat - a type of hat made of soft fur that had a sheen, which were popular in the mid 1800s.

Ka whiti te hihi o te rā ki runga ki tōna pōtae piwara hate, pīata ana tērā, kōrekoreko ana te kanohi i te tirohanga atu (TWMNT 31/1/1872:34). / When the rays of the sun shone on his beaver hat it shone and dazzled the eyes when one looked at it.

Show example

Hide example

pōtae mārō

1. (noun) helmet, hard hat.

whata pouheni

1. (noun) hatstand.

rauhara

1. (noun) pandanus - a tree used in the Pacific islands for a variety of purposes, including for housing material, hats and mats.

kutakuta

1. (noun) great spike rush, bamboo spike-sedge, Eleocharis sphacelata - a rush growing to about 1 m which spreads from a creeping rhizome and has thick hollow stems of bright green. Found throughout Aotearoa/New Zealand in swamps and on lake edges and is often partially submerged. The soft, flattened, hollow stalks (culms) of kuta are a popular resource for weavers. The long culms are harvested, placed under matting for about 3 days to flatten, then woven into soft hats, mats, and kete. Kuta dries to an attractive golden-brown shade.

See also kuta

Synonyms: kūkuta, kuta

kuta

1. (noun) tall spike sedge, great spike rush, bamboo spike-sedge, Eleocharis sphacelata - a rush growing to about 1 m which spreads from a creeping rhizome and has thick hollow stems of bright green. Found throughout Aotearoa/New Zealand in swamps and on lake edges and is often partially submerged. The soft, flattened, hollow stalks (culms) of kuta are a popular resource for weavers. The long culms are harvested, placed under matting for about 3 days to flatten, then woven into soft hats, mats, and kete. Kuta dries to an attractive golden-brown shade.

Synonyms: kūkuta, kutakuta


2. (noun) maro made of the kuta rush - worn by women.

Ko ngā wāhine moe tāne he pakimaero te kaka, he kuta, te whatu he mea herehere, ā, he harakeke toetoe ai kia pēnei te whara o ngā tuwhara nei te rarahi, ka mea ai he aka kāī, he aka mangemange, he aka tororaro rānei ka nati ai ki runga, ka rite ki te hope o te wahine, ki te ponaturi ka mutu (JPS 1928:177). / The married women wore a kilt fashioned from kuta, made by tying them together, also from flax split into strips about as wide as those used in making course floor mats, and these were fastened onto a kāī [Podocarpus spicatus] branch, bushman's mattress vine [Lygodium articulatum], or wire vine [Muehlenbeckia complexa] and made to fit the waist of the woman, and it extended down to her knees.

Show example

Hide example

wairaweki

1. (loan) (modifier) wideawake - a wide-brimmed felt hat with a low crown.

I tana omanga ai, ko ōna kākahu, he purū haikete, he wetikote āhua pango; he tarau koruroi, he pōtae wairaweki, mangumangu, me tētahi wāhi rīpona, e roa ana, kei muri (TKP 14/6/1858:1). / At the time of his escape he was wearing a blue jacket, a blackish waistcoat, corduroy trousers, a black wideawake hat with a long piece of ribbon behind.

Show example

Hide example

kūkuta

1. (noun) great spike rush, bamboo spike-sedge, Eleocharis sphacelata - a rush growing to about 1 m which spreads from a creeping rhizome and has thick hollow stems of bright green. Found throughout Aotearoa/New Zealand in swamps and on lake edges and is often partially submerged. The soft, flattened, hollow stalks (culms) of kuta are a popular resource for weavers. The long culms are harvested, placed under matting for about 3 days to flatten, then woven into soft hats, mats, and kete. Kuta dries to an attractive golden-brown shade.

See also kuta

Synonyms: kuta, kutakuta

New favourites & quiz!

The Te Aka Māori Dictionary mobile app now has the ability to sort your favourite words into folders. Plus, these folders can be turned into a quiz for a fun way to learn words and definitions. Download or update the app today!

iOS Android

The App

Te Aka Māori Dictionary is also available as an iOS and Android app. Download below.

iOS Android

The Book

Te Aka Māori-English, English-Māori Dictionary and Index by John C Moorfield comprises a selection of modern and everyday language that will be extremely useful for learners of the Māori language.

More info

He Pātaka Kupu

Te kai a te rangatira

He Pātaka Kupu is a monolingual Māori language dictionary, and was designed using its own culturally authentic terms.

Visit website

00:00