Hawaiki

H4A1W4A1I1K5I1

proper noun

The original home of the Māori, before they travelled across the sea to New Zealand. It also features as the underworld in many Māori stories.

OriginMāori Hawaiki ← Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *Sawaiki →
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Meanings

proper noun
  1. human sciencesThe original home of the Māori, before they travelled across the sea to New Zealand. It also features as the underworld in many Māori stories.

Origin

  1. Proto-Nuclear Polynesian*Sawaiki
  2. MāoriHawaiki
  3. EnglishHawaiki

Borrowed from Māori Hawaiki, from Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *Sawaiki, Doublet of Hawaii and Savai'i.

More words from Māori, Proto-Nuclear Polynesian

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

Hawaiki. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Hawaiki

MLA

“Hawaiki.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Hawaiki. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Hawaiki,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Hawaiki.

Source: Hawaiki on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.