mātāmua
1. (modifier) first, elder.
Te naomanga atu o te tama mātāmua ki te paihere rākau, whakauaua noa, ko tōna tangata mārōrō taua korokē, whakauaua noa, tē whati (TMT 15/4/1861:14). / The eldest son grabbed the bundle of sticks and tried strenuously again and again - that fellow was very strong - but be could not succeed in breaking them.
2. (modifier) fore, front (of limbs).
Ka ngaro katoa hoki ngā peke mātāmua ki roto ki ngā koro (NM 1928:128). / And the fore limbs totally disappeared into the nooses.
3. (noun) first-born, oldest child.
He māhanga ngā mātāmua, he tāne (HP 1991:13). / The first-born were twins, and males.
4. (noun) high card (cards), highest card - a poker hand made of any five cards, where the only thing of any potential meaning in the hand is the highest card.
