Meanings
- alternativeAlternative form of karearea
New Zealanders are being warned to steer clear of the nation’s ‘bird of the year’ – the kārearea – after reports the fast-flying falcon is dive-bombing walkers who veer too close to their nests.
2025 November 5, Eva Corlett, “New Zealanders warned to steer clear of ‘bird of the year’ after dive-bomb attacks”, in The Guardian2 more examples
An eco-poet before that job description existed, Trussell agreed to write words to Biss’s lament for the tara iti, and suggested expanding the work to four movements, including songs for the pūkeko and kārearea New Zealand falcon.
2024 July 25, Richard Betts, “Eco-poet and composer create music for NZ birds”, in New Zealand ListenerThe high-speed hunter, which goes by the Māori name the kārearea, is capable of reaching 200km/h in a dive, making them adept at hunting in the dense New Zealand forests. They are also at risk, with just 5,000 to 8,000 of them left.
2025 September 25, Kathryn Armstrong and Kelly Ng, “Falcon crowned Bird of the Year in New Zealand”, in BBC
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
- Māorikārearea
- Englishkārearea
Unadapted borrowing from Māori kārearea.
More words from Māori
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
kārearea. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/k%C4%81rearea
“kārearea.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/k%C4%81rearea. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “kārearea,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/k%C4%81rearea.
Source: kārearea on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.