kātua
1. (verb) (-tia) to be full-grown.
Tērā tētahi manu kei te awa nui o Amerika ki te tonga, kei te Amahona, e kīia ana e whā waewae o taua manu i te mea e kūao ana. He matimati anō kei ngā parirau, hai ngōki haere māna. Ā, ka kātuatia ka makere ngā matimati, toe iho ko ngā parirau anake (KO 10/9/1890:3). / There is a bird in the large river of South America, the Amazon, which is said to have four legs when it's young. It has claws on the wings so that it can crawl about, and when it matures the fingers drop off leaving just the wings.
2. (noun) adult (of birds and animals) - especially for the female parent, e.g. ewe, mare, cow, hen.
Ki te ora te kātua ka ora hoki tana kūao reme (TP 7/1910:3). / If the ewe is healthy its lamb will also be in good condition.
Synonyms: hōiho uwha
3. (noun) main part (of anything).
Ka whakamahia te kātua o te kaponga me te nīkau hei pou mō ngā whare (Te Ara 2015). / The trunks of tree ferns and nīkau palms were used as posts for houses.
4. (noun) main fence of a pā.
