Hawaiian

American  

[huh-wahy-uhn, -wah-yuhn] / həˈwaɪ ən, -ˈwɑ jən /

adjective

1. of or relating to Hawaii or the Hawaiian Islands.

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noun

Hawaiians plural

1. a native or inhabitant of Hawaii or the Hawaiian Islands.

2. the aboriginal language of Hawaii, a Polynesian language.

Hawaiian British  

/ həˈwaɪən /

adjective

1. of or relating to Hawaii, its people, or their language

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noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Hawaii, esp one descended from Melanesian or Tahitian immigrants

2. a language of Hawaii belonging to the Malayo-Polynesian family

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• Hawaiians
  plural

Etymology

Origin of Hawaiian

First recorded in 1815–25; Hawaii + -an

Compare meaning

How does hawaiian compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Polynesian vs. Hawaiian

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Hawaiian Hawaiians

Upon the deal’s closing, First Hawaiian investors would own about 65% of the company and TriCo’s shareholders would own the rest.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026

Researchers also discovered another unexpected similarity between the Himalayan and Hawaiian species.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 9, 2026

Kirkland said the regulations would have especially affected cities like Bell Gardens and Hawaiian Gardens, where casinos represent nearly 70% of the general fund.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 9, 2026

Also in 2002, she voiced the Elvis-adoring Hawaiian girl Lilo in the animated hit Lilo & Stitch.

From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026

Usually he wore faded blue jeans with a flaming Hawaiian shirt, along with sandals and dweebish white socks, looking like he had just spent the night in a Mexican hotel.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston

Hawaiians were finally allowed to get permits to carry concealed weapons.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026

He then urged his fellow Hawaiians to check in on their local communities and do what they can to support their neighbors.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 30, 2026

The setting offered stunning natural beauty but also rich themes to explore, particularly American colonialism and the plight of Native Hawaiians.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 3, 2025

So, museums have started returning human remains from communities such as the Maori tribes of New Zealand, the Mudan warriors of Taiwan, the Aboriginal people of Australia and the Native Hawaiians.

From BBC ● Nov. 18, 2024

Instead of standard English, everyone spoke Hawaiian Pidgin, a language mash-up created by Hawaiians and early Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, and American immigrants.

From "Boots on the Ground: America's War in Vietnam" by Elizabeth Partridge