whangai

W4H4A1N1G2A1I1

noun

A traditional Maori form of adoption practised within the extended family.

OriginMāori whāngai →
Scrabble 14
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Meanings

nounwhangai (countable and uncountable, plural whangais)

plural whangais

  1. New ZealanduncountableA traditional Maori form of adoption practised within the extended family.
  2. New ZealandcountableA child adopted under this system.

Origin

  1. Māoriwhāngai
  2. Englishwhangai

Borrowed from Māori whāngai.

More words from Māori

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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