mātaitai
1. (verb) to be brackish, tasting of salt, salty.
He mātaitai te wai o tēnei kāinga (W 1971:187). / The water of this village is brackish.
Synonyms: kurutai, kurutaitai, totetote
2. (noun) seafood, shellfish - fish or other food obtained from the sea.
Ko te kaupapa o te haere ko te kohi tote, me te kohi anga mātaitai pērā i te tupa (HM 2/2009:10). / The purpose of the trip was to gather salt and sea shells such as the scallop.
3. (noun) salinity, saline.
Nā te mātaitai o te moana i kore ai e piro tōna wai (KO 15/6/1882:3). / Sea water does not become stagnant because of its salinity.
mahinga mātaitai
1. (noun) customary seafood gathering site, shellfish bed.
Kua tū ētahi kaupapa arumoni i raro i te Fisheries Act 1996, pērā i ngā taiāpure me ngā mahinga mātaitai (Te Ara 2013). / A number of statutory enterprises have been established under the Fisheries Act 1996, such as the taiāpure and mahinga mātaitai reserves.
