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Te Aka
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Te Aka Māori Dictionary
Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

koukou

1. (verb) to hoot.

Tēnei te ruru te koukou mai nei, kīhai i māhitihiti, kīhai i mārangaranga te upoko nui o te ruru (W 1971:181). / Here is the morepork which hoots, but whose head does not toss about or bob up and down.

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2. (noun) morepork, owl, Ninox novaeseelandiae - a native owl common throughout Aotearoa/New Zealand in wooded areas including suburbs, roosting by day and active at night.

Synonyms: peho, ruru

3. (noun) topknot.

See also ruru

4. (noun) crest (of a bird).

Tapaina ai te hoiho mō tana tangi, te pokotiwha mō tōna koukou kōwhai me ōna tukemata tāhei, ko te kororā mō tana tangi (Te Ara 2012). / The yellow-eyed penguin was named for its call, the Fiordland crested penguin for its yellow crest and eyebrow stripes and the blue penguin for its call.

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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.

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