Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

matuku

1. (noun) a general name for various herons and the Australasian bittern.

Kei te matuku e hū ana i te repo, ' Hū.' (TKO 30/7/1921:5) / The bittern makes a deep booming call in the swamp, 'Hoo.'

Show example

Hide example

matuku moana

1. (noun) white-faced heron, Ardea novaehollandiae - a much more common heron than the rare reef heron. Bluish-grey with a white face.

(Te Pihinga Study Guide (Ed. 1): 1;)


2. (noun) reef heron, Egretta sacra - a slaty-grey heron with a long, heavy, grey to yellowish bill. Legs relatively short, yellow-green. Hunched and almost horizontal when feeding. Found in mangrove inlets, rocky shores, wave platforms and intertidal mudflats.

waewae matuku

1. (noun) carrier tangle, parasol fern, Gleichenia microphylla - fronds erect to about 100 cm high or scrambling to about 200 cm. Stipes red-brown. Found on swampy or poor clay soils and around thermal areas in open scrubland.

matuku nuia

1. (noun) reef heron, Egretta sacra - a slaty-grey heron with a long, heavy, grey to yellowish bill. Legs relatively short, yellow-green. Hunched and almost horizontal when feeding. Found in mangrove inlets, rocky shores, wave platforms and intertidal mudflats.

matuku tai

1. (noun) reef heron, Egretta sacra - a slaty-grey heron with a long, heavy, grey to yellowish bill. Legs relatively short, yellow-green. Hunched and almost horizontal when feeding. Found in mangrove inlets, rocky shores, wave platforms and intertidal mudflats.

matuku waitai

1. (noun) reef heron, Egretta sacra - a slaty-grey heron with a long, heavy, grey to yellowish bill. Legs relatively short, yellow-green. Hunched and almost horizontal when feeding. Found in mangrove inlets, rocky shores, wave platforms and intertidal mudflats.

Matuku-rua

1. (location) Wiri and McLaughlin's Mountains (Auckland) - Matuku-tūreia is McLaughlin's Mountain and Matuku-tururu is Wiri Mountain. Together they were called Ngā Matuku-rua.

(Te Kōhure Textbook (Ed. 2): 107;)

matuku-hūrepo

1. (noun) brown bittern, Australasian bittern, Botaurus poiciloptilus - a rare bird living in swamps. Has a bulky, thick neck and is mottled brown and buff for camouflage.

Matukutūruru

1. (location) Wiri Mountain (Auckland) - one of two volcanic cones making up Ngā Matuku-rua.

See also Matuku-rua

Matukutūreia

1. (location) McLaughlin's Mountain (Auckland) - one of two volcanic cones making up Ngā Matuku-rua.

See also Matuku-rua

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