Etymology

taniwha

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Today it means: A spirit or monster in Maori mythology, especially one that dwells in the water. Full definition →

First used 19th c.Māori taniwha
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The story

  1. Māori · borrowed fromtaniwha
  2. English todaytaniwha

Borrowed from Māori taniwha.

First known use, by meaning

  • from 19th c. A spirit or monster in Maori mythology, especially one that dwells in the water.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.