koa

[ koh-uh ]

noun

1. a Hawaiian acacia, Acacia koa, of the legume family, characterized by spreading branches and gray bark.
2. the hard, red or golden-brown wood of this tree, used for making furniture.

koa

/ ˈkəʊə /

noun

1. a Hawaiian leguminous tree, Acacia koa, yielding a hard wood
2. the reddish wood of this tree, used esp for furniture

Word History and Origins

Origin of koa¹

Borrowed into English from Hawaiian around 1840–50

Word History and Origins

Origin of koa¹

C19: from Hawaiian

Example Sentences

Mommyish editor-in-chief Koa Beck wrote an open letter encouraging the ex-sorority sister to apply for their paid internship.

From The Daily Beast

People will love the ‘chili water,’ which adds a nice spice to give our Koko Koa a good ‘punch.’

From The Daily Beast

The greater part were of polished koa wood, though some were covered with red velvet ornamented with gold.

From Project Gutenberg

Jar made in imitation of treasure jar, found in ruins of W-mai a. Thl-wo-pu-kia t-tsa-na -no-to-na n-te-li-ah-na y-koa.

From Project Gutenberg

Koa Kau, one of the younger of the students, ran lightly up the stairs to give battle to the intruders.

From Project Gutenberg

This time there was quite a little party went with him: his wife, their three children, and Koa Kau, one of his students.

From Project Gutenberg

The girls were huddled in colored groups on wide couches or garlanded in twos and threes on and in the big koa-wood chairs.

From Project Gutenberg