Meanings
kina1
nounkina (plural kinas or kina)
plural kinas
- The national currency of Papua New Guinea, divided into 100 toea.
kina2
nounkina (plural kinas)
plural kinas
- Any member of the species Evechinus chloroticus of sea urchins endemic to New Zealand.
To those used to one standard, this book may offer a taste passing strange, like the original mouthful of kina roe. Persist. Kina can become a favourite food.
1983, Keri Hulme, The Bone People, Preface
Origin
kina · noun
- Tolaikina“oyster or clamshell”
- Englishkina
From Tolai kina (“oyster or clamshell”).
More words from Tolai
Full word history & related roots →kina · noun
- Māorikina
- Englishkina
From Māori kina.
More words from Māori
Full word history & related roots →Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
APA
kina. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kina
MLA
“kina.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kina. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “kina,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/kina.
Source: kina on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.