Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

Hēhita

1. (loan) (personal name) Sister.

Ka whakautua e Hēhita koinā tonu te whakaaro iho, engari ko te mate kāore he moni (HP 1991:47). / Sister replied that that was the plan, but the problem was that there was no money.

Show example

Hide example

kauaemua

1. (noun) eldest brother, eldest sister, elder brother, elder sister.

Ko tōna whaea ko Mereana Waitere, hei kauaemua ki a Tene Waitere (TTR 1998:78). / His mother was Mereana Waitere, the elder sister of Tene Waitere.

Show example

Hide example

tuakana

1. (noun) elder brother (of a male), elder sister (of a female), cousin (of the same gender from a more senior branch of the family), prefect.

Ka kite hoki taku tuakana i a au e tū ana i te taha o te huarahi i tō mātau kāinga, ka whakatū ia i ana hōiho, kia piki atu au ki runga i te rore, ka noho i tōna taha (HP 1991:22). / And when my elder brother saw me standing at the side of the road at our home he stopped his horses and I climbed onto the lorry and sat beside him.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: piriwheke

taina

1. (noun) younger brother (of a male), younger sister (of a female), cousin (of same gender from a junior branch of the family).

Nā taku taina, nā Rihimona Whaanga, au i whakaako ki te kauhoe (HP 1991:20). / My junior cousin, Rihimona Whaanga, taught me to swim.

Show example

Hide example

taokete

1. (noun) brother-in-law (of a male), sister-in-law (of a female).

He taokete hoki nōna a Te Ruakāwhena (HP 1991:18). / Te Ruakāwhena was also his brother-in-law.

Show example

Hide example

Tātai-o-Matariki

1. (personal noun) Pleiades, Seven Sisters - an open cluster of many stars in the constellation Taurus, with at least six stars visible to the naked eye. First appearance before sunrise of Matariki in the north-eastern sky indicates the beginning of the Māori year - about the middle of June. According to some tribes, Matariki is the star of the old year and Puanga-rua the star of the new year.

tēina

1. (noun) younger brothers (of a male), younger sisters (of a female), cousins (of the same gender) of a junior line, junior relatives  – plural form of teina.

Tokorima ngā tēina o Rīria, ā, tokotoru ōna tungāne (TTR 1996:22). / Rīria had five younger sisters and three brothers.

Show example

Hide example

teina

1. (noun) younger brother (of a male), younger sister (of a female), cousin (of the same gender) of a junior line, junior relative.

E 25 ōna tau, ko tōna teina 17 ōna tau (TKO 15/2/1916:9). / He is 25 years old and his younger brother is 17.

Show example

Hide example

See also taina

Synonyms: muringa

tuāhine

1. (noun) sisters or female cousins (of a male).

Ka karanga ia ki ōna tuāhine a Te Hoata rāua ko Te Pupu kei Hawaiki (Te Ara 2013). / He called to his sisters, Te Hoata and Te Pupu in Hawaiki.

Show example

Hide example

tuahine

1. (noun) sister or female cousin (of a male).

Kei te mirimiri a Māmā i te tinana o tona tamāhine, o taku tuahine hoki (HP 1991:19). / Mum was massaging the body of her daughter, who was also my sister.

Show example

Hide example

tuākana

1. (noun) elder brothers (of a male), elder sisters (of a female), cousins (of the same gender from a more senior branch of the family).

Ko ngā tuākana ake o Tūmate Mahuta ko Te Rata, te Kīngi tuawhā, me Taipū, nō te tau 1924 tēnei i mate ai (TTR 1998:94). / Tūmate Mahuta's elder brothers were Te Rata, the fourth King, and Taipū, who died in 1924.

Show example

Hide example

Huihui-o-Matariki, Te

1. (personal name) Pleiades, Seven Sisters - a cluster of stars in the constellation Taurus, commonly spoken of as seven though only six are plain to the average naked eye. The first full moon after its appearance in the north-east horizon just before dawn in late May marks the time to celebrate the Māori new year.

hēhita

1. (loan) (verb) to perform the role of a nursing sister.

I rāwāhi ia i te Pakanga Tuarua o te Ao, i a ia e hēhita ana mō ngā hōia (HP 1991:34). / She was overseas in the Second World War where she was a nursing sister for the soldiers.

Show example

Hide example


2. (loan) (noun) sister (member of a women's religious order).

Ko au te rangatira ake, ko tētahi o ngā hēhita taku kaiāwhina (HP 1991:245). / I was in charge and one of the sisters was my assistant.

Show example

Hide example

tāina

1. (noun) younger brothers (of a male), younger sisters (of a female), cousins (of same gender from a more junior branch of the family).

Ki te whakaae ngā tāina me tō rātou tuahine me ō rātou mātua me ngā hapū, me ngā iwi o te whaea, o te pāpā rānei, ka noho ēnei karanga ki runga ki a Pape he ariki mātāmua ia nō ēnā hapū me ēnā uri (JPS 1909:90). / If his younger brothers, their sister, their parents, and the hapū and iwi of the mother or father consent, he is made first-born ariki of those hapū and descendants.

Show example

Hide example

See also tēina

tatao

1. (noun) second (or sometimes third) person slain in a battle.

Tokorua ngā mātāika te tahi, tokorua ngā tatao (JPS 1923:234). / In the first attack there were two who were the mātāika (first to fall) then another two were the tatao (the second to fall).

Show example

Hide example


2. (noun) younger sibling, younger brother or sister of a first-born child.

E hia ōu tatao? (W 1971:380). / How many younger brothers and sister do you have?

Show example

Hide example

hāmua

1. (noun) elder sibling, elder brother, elder sister.

Ko te hāmua o Mahuta ko Tiahuia, te whaea o Te Puea Hērangi (TTR 1996:83). / Mahuta's elder sister was Tiahuia, the mother of Te Puea Hērangi.

Show example

Hide example


2. (noun) variety of native rat, Rattus exulans.

Ko te kiore te ingoa noa o tēnei kararehe ki Aotearoa nei, heoi, arā atu anō ngā ingoa: maungarua, mō te kiore rahi; tāpapa, he kiore ora te tipu; torokaha, he kiore nui; tokoroa, he kiore kiritea; hāmua, he tohu aituā, kīhai i kainga (Te Ara 2016). / Kiore is the usual name given to this species in New Zealand, although there are other names: maungarua is a large rat; tāpapa a well-grown rat; torokaha a big rat; tokoroa a white rat; while hāmua was a rat considered an ill omen and was not eaten.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: kiore, muritai

auwahine

1. (noun) sister-in-law (of a male).

I ngā hāereere maha a Te Putu, haere tahi ana rāua ko tana auwahine (TTR 1998:85). / On Te Putu's many trips he went together with his sister-in-law.

Show example

Hide example

kaikaranga

1. (noun) caller - the woman (or women) who has the role of making the ceremonial call to visitors onto a marae, or equivalent venue, at the start of a pōwhiri. The term is also used for the caller(s) from the visiting group who responds to the tangata whenua ceremonial call. Traditionally this role was based on one's status within the hapū or whānau, the eldest sister normally being given the role. Skilled kaikaranga are able to use eloquent language and metaphor and to encapsulate important information about the group and the purpose of the visit.

Ki tā Iranui, i ngā wā o mua i haere ngā wāhine me te kaikaranga o te manuhiri ki waenganui o te ope whakaeke ki runga i te marae, ā, ko ngā tāne kei ngā taha ki te tiaki i ngā wāhine. / According to Iranui, in former times the women and the caller of the visitors went in the middle of the group going onto the marae and the men were at the sides to protect the women.

Show example

Hide example

Waitohi

1. (personal name) (?-1839) Ngāti Toa, Ngāti Raukawa; leader, sister of Te Rauparaha and mother of Te Rangihaeata and Rangi Topeora. Moved south from Kāwhia to the Kapiti area with her tribes.

whāngai

1. (verb) (-a,-hia,-nga,-tia) to feed, nourish, bring up, foster, adopt, raise, nurture, rear.


2. (modifier) fostered, adoptive, foster.

Ka mate te matua whāngai, e riro rānei te whenua o te tūpāpaku i te tamaiti whāngai?...Ko te tikanga Māori mō te tamaiti whāngai, ka hoki anō ki roto i ngā pānga o ōna mātua ake, i runga anō i te take huihui, i heke mai i roto i te tino take ki te whenua, kāore hoki te whāngai e tangohia i waho o ngā whakapapa me te toto (TPH 30/8/1902:2). / When the foster parent dies, is the land of the deceased inherited by the foster child?...In Māori custom an adopted child would fall back on the rights to the land shares of his/her birth parents which would occur in gatherings where the inheritance of land was passed on, and the foster child would not have rights outside genealogical and blood ties. (Statements by Īhāia Hūtana of Ngāti Kahungunu.)

Show example

Hide example

See also matua whāngai, mātua whāngai, tamaiti whāngai, whaea whāngai, tamariki whāngai


3. (noun) foster child, adopted child - this is a customary practice. Often a couple's first child was brought up by grandparents or adopted by one of the brothers or sisters of a parent, but almost always the foster child was a blood relation, usually a close relation. This practice continues today, but inheritance of land and property is not clear-cut. Sometimes the foster child would be entitled to inherit the foster father's property, especially if a child was adopted at birth and remained with the foster parents through to adulthood and looked after the adopted parent(s) in their old age. In this case the foster child would share the interests with any natural children. The rights of a foster child might be modified if an ōhākī (bequest) by the foster father had been made. Foster children always knew who their natural parents were.

Nō te whānautanga o Te Ataihaea, he kōtiro, kua hiahia tō mātau māmā kia riro mai i a ia hai whāngai māna (HP 1991:19). / When Te Ataihaea, a girl, was born our mother wanted to adopt her as a foster child.

Show example

Hide example

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