Polynesian (Oceanic) Loanwords in English

The Polynesians were skilful navigators who reached and settled some of the Earth's remotest islands, such as Hawaii, New Zealand and Easter Island. Their languages belong, together with the Micronesian and many Melanesian languages, to the Oceanic group of the Austronesian family. They are known for their small number of consonants. Since James Cook's time, some of these words entered the English language. Can you name them?

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Last updated: March 29, 2025

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First submitted	March 29, 2025
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Hawaiian
The yellowfin tuna. Starts with A.	ahi
A greeting.	aloha
A boss or chieftain. From the Hawaiian word for 'priest'. A burger chain in Pulp Fiction.	big kahuna
Informal term for a Canadian. Possibly from a Hawaiian word for 'man'. Oceanians often worked on whaling ships, which would have brought this word to the Pacific Northwest region.*	Canuck
A Hawaiian dance. Also, later combined with the word 'hoop'.	hula
A garland used as a necklace, presented to visitors arriving in Hawaii.	lei
A fish species also called dolphinfish or dorado. Starts with M.	mahi-mahi
The Hawaiian word for 'family', widely known from the movie Lilo and Stitch.	ohana
Starchy paste which is the traditional staple food of Polynesia. Made from the word marked with †.	poi
A dish of raw fish. In the West, served in a bowl with sushi rice and various toppings.	poke
A small guitar with four strings. It means 'jumping flea'.	ukulele
A website edited by the public. The best known is an online encyclopedia. From a Hawaiian word meaning 'fast'.	wiki

Maori
A warrior dance combined with shouts. Most often done at sport events and formal occasions.	haka
A small, brown, flightless bird. Or the Chinese gooseberry, which looks somewhat similar to the bird.	kiwi
A genus of shark living in the open sea which can swim very fast. Start with M.	mako
Supernatural energy in Maori religion, or magic power in fantasy video games.	mana
† A crop native to Southeast Asia. Its corms have white flesh with a sweet and nutty flavor.	taro
A usually wooden carving of a human figure. Also a romanticized South Pacific theme for bars.	tiki

Other
Marshallese: a revealing swimsuit for women, named after a certain atoll where nuclear weapons were tested. [Note that Marshallese is a Micronesian rather than Polynesian language.]	bikini
Tongan: a mildly psychoactive beverage made from the roots of a plant of the same name. Used in ceremonies across Polynesia.	kava
Tahitian: a cocktail made with rum, curaçao, orgeat syrup and lime juice, served in the aforementioned bars.	mai tai
Rapa Nui: monoliths carved in shape of humans with large heads, found on Easter Island.	moai
Tongan: sacred, forbidden to touch. For us, a topic not allowed to be discussed.	taboo
Tahitian/Samoan/Marquesan: artwork of ink applied under the skin.	tattoo