pōhiri

noun

A Maori welcoming ceremony involving speeches, dancing, and singing.

OriginMāori pōhiri →
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Meanings

noun

alternative pohiri · alternative powhiri · alternative pōwhiri

  1. New ZealandA Maori welcoming ceremony involving speeches, dancing, and singing.

Origin

  1. Māoripōhiri
  2. Englishpōhiri

Borrowed from Māori pōhiri or pōwhiri (“to beckon; to welcome”) from whiri (“to wave; to whisk; to plait; a fan”).

More words from Māori

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Cite this entry
APA

pōhiri. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/p%C5%8Dhiri

MLA

“pōhiri.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/p%C5%8Dhiri. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pōhiri,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/p%C5%8Dhiri.

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