a member of the Native Polynesian population of New Zealand.
a Polynesian language, the language of the Maoris.
a member of the people living in New Zealand and the Cook Islands since before the arrival of European settlers. They are descended from Polynesian voyagers who migrated in successive waves from the ninth century onwards
the language of this people, belonging to the Malayo-Polynesian family
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A statement released after the meeting from the Kīngitanga said the Māori queen discussed a range of global topics with Prince William.
From BBC • May 15, 2026
But as Te Haumihiata Mason, a translator working in Māori, points out to Mr. Hahn, in New Zealand few plants bud in May, so an inelastic approach here risks puzzling the audience.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 2026
New Zealand artist Lisa Reihana, who is of Māori British ancestry, transformed a famous early 19th century French scenic wallpaper designed by Jean-Gabriel Charvet into an equally extravagant, 70-foot-wide projection of video animation.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 9, 2025
The high-speed hunter, which goes by the Māori name the kārearea, is capable of reaching 200km/h in a dive, making them adept at hunting in the dense New Zealand forests.
From BBC • Sep. 28, 2025
However, Māori as a group constitute almost 18 percent of New Zealand’s population.
From Slate • Aug. 8, 2025
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
