Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

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

kutā

1. (loan) (noun) guitar.

Kua noho mai te kutā hei taonga waiata nui a te Māori (Te Ara). / The guitar became the main instrument for Māori singing.

Show example

Hide example

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

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

kūwāwā

1. (noun) lake club-rush, soft-stem bulrush, true bulrush, Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani, Schoenoplectus validus - a tall, spiky, sedge found in shallow, freshwater and estuarine habitats. It can grow in more brackish habitats than kuta, and is found on the margins of rivers, lakes and ponds up to 300 m above sea level. Growth is seasonal with stems dying back over winter. Harvested in summer, the stems are hung in bundles and dried. The stems contain white spongy pith, which gives some insulation when used to make sleeping mats. Found throughout the North Island. In the South Island it is found in southern Nelson, Marlborough and Westland, as well as at Christchurch and in and near Te Waihora Lake Ellesmere.

paopao

1. (noun) lake club-rush, soft-stem bulrush, true bulrush, Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani, Schoenoplectus validus - a tall, spiky, sedge found in shallow, freshwater and estuarine habitats. It can grow in more brackish habitats than kuta, and is found on the margins of rivers, lakes and ponds up to 300 m above sea level. Growth is seasonal with stems dying back over winter. Harvested in summer, the stems are hung in bundles and dried. The stems contain white spongy pith, which gives some insulation when used to make sleeping mats. Found throughout the North Island. In the South Island it is found in southern Nelson, Marlborough and Westland, as well as at Christchurch and in and near Te Waihora Lake Ellesmere.

papao

1. (noun) lake club-rush, soft-stem bulrush, true bulrush, Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani, Schoenoplectus validus - a tall, spiky, sedge found in shallow, freshwater and estuarine habitats. It can grow in more brackish habitats than kuta, and is found on the margins of rivers, lakes and ponds up to 300 m above sea level. Growth is seasonal with stems dying back over winter. Harvested in summer, the stems are hung in bundles and dried. The stems contain white spongy pith, which gives some insulation when used to make sleeping mats. Found throughout the North Island. In the South Island it is found in southern Nelson, Marlborough and Westland, as well as at Christchurch and in and near Te Waihora Lake Ellesmere.

wāwā

1. lake club-rush, soft-stem bulrush, true bulrush, Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani - a tall, spiky, sedge found in shallow, freshwater and estuarine habitats. It can grow in more brackish habitats than kuta, and is found on the margins of rivers, lakes and ponds up to 300 m above sea level. Growth is seasonal with stems dying back over winter. Harvested in summer, the stems are hung in bundles and dried. The stems contain white spongy pith, which gives some insulation when used to make sleeping mats. Found throughout the North Island. In the South Island it is found in southern Nelson, Marlborough and Westland, as well as at Christchurch and in and near Te Waihora Lake Ellesmere.

kāpūngāwhā

1. (noun) lake club-rush, soft-stem bulrush, true bulrush, Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani, Schoenoplectus validus - a tall, spiky, sedge found in shallow, freshwater and estuarine habitats. It can grow in more brackish habitats than kuta, and is found on the margins of rivers, lakes and ponds up to 300 m above sea level. Growth is seasonal with stems dying back over winter. Harvested in summer, the stems are hung in bundles and dried. The stems contain white spongy pith, which gives some insulation when used to make sleeping mats. Found throughout the North Island. In the South Island it is found in southern Nelson, Marlborough and Westland, as well as at Christchurch and in and near Te Waihora Lake Ellesmere.

kōpūngāwhā

1. (noun) lake club-rush, soft-stem bulrush, true bulrush, Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani, Schoenoplectus validus - a tall, spiky, sedge found in shallow, freshwater and estuarine habitats. It can grow in more brackish habitats than kuta, and is found on the margins of rivers, lakes and ponds up to 300 m above sea level. Growth is seasonal with stems dying back over winter. Harvested in summer, the stems are hung in bundles and dried. The stems contain white spongy pith, which gives some insulation when used to make sleeping mats. Found throughout the North Island. In the South Island it is found in southern Nelson, Marlborough and Westland, as well as at Christchurch and in and near Te Waihora Lake Ellesmere.

kōpūpūngāwhā

1. (noun) lake club-rush, soft-stem bulrush, true bulrush, Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani, Schoenoplectus validus - a tall, spiky, sedge found in shallow, freshwater and estuarine habitats. It can grow in more brackish habitats than kuta, and is found on the margins of rivers, lakes and ponds up to 300 m above sea level. Growth is seasonal with stems dying back over winter. Harvested in summer, the stems are hung in bundles and dried. The stems contain white spongy pith, which gives some insulation when used to make sleeping mats. Found throughout the North Island. In the South Island it is found in southern Nelson, Marlborough and Westland, as well as at Christchurch and in and near Te Waihora Lake Ellesmere.

kōpūpū

1. (verb) to be blistered.


2. (noun) blister.


3. (noun) lake club-rush, soft-stem bulrush, true bulrush, Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani, Schoenoplectus validus - a tall, spiky, sedge found in shallow, freshwater and estuarine habitats. It can grow in more brackish habitats than kuta, and is found on the margins of rivers, lakes and ponds up to 300 m above sea level. Growth is seasonal with stems dying back over winter. Harvested in summer, the stems are hung in bundles and dried. The stems contain white spongy pith, which gives some insulation when used to make sleeping mats. Found throughout the North Island. In the South Island it is found in southern Nelson, Marlborough and Westland, as well as at Christchurch and in and near Te Waihora Lake Ellesmere.

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