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Loan words

Historical loan words

Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

puhi

1. (verb) to adorn with feathers.

He mea puhi ngā makawe ki ngā huia hei whakapaipai i a ia. / The hair was adorned with huia feathers to make her look beautiful.

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2. (noun) topknot, bunch (of feathers, etc.), treasure.

Takoto mai, e koro, kia tangihia koe e ō iwi. Auē! Ka mau te punga here o te waka nei. Ka ngaro koe, te kaihautū, te kākākura o roto i te pōkai, te puhi o Aotearoa, te kura whakahirahira o Te Waipounamu, te mauri o te whenua, te mauri o te tangata, haere! Haere rā! (TP 7/1906:9) / Lie in state, sir, to be wept over by your people. Oh, dear! The anchor of this canoe is taken. You are gone, the fugleman, the leader of the flock, the adored one of the North Island, the important treasure of the South Island, the life force of the land and the people. Depart! Farewell!

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3. (noun) plume, plumed rods, feather ornaments on a canoe.

Ko te puhi o runga o te waka, arā, o te tauihu, ka ingoatia tērā ko Puhi-maroke. Ko te puhi o raro o te tauihu o te waka, ka ingoatia tērā ko Puhi-mākū (JPS 1957:221). / The upper plume at the bow was called Puhi-maroke (Dry plume). The lower plume of the bow was called Puhi-mākū (Wet plume).

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Synonyms: awe, rau, ihiihi

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