haka
Americannoun
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a ceremonial Maori war dance that involves chanting.
-
a similar performance by a sports team, especially before a Rugby match in New Zealand.
noun
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a Māori war chant accompanied by gestures
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a similar performance by a rugby team
Etymology
Origin of haka
First recorded in 1830–40; from Maori; akin to Tongan haka “hand gestures performed in a song,” Hawaiian ha‘a, Samoan sa‘a “dance,” from assumed Proto-Polynesian saka
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
George, himself a former England skipper, persuaded Borthwick and current skipper Maro Itoje it was worth revisiting the response to the haka england employed in a 2019 World Cup semi-final win in Japan.
From Barron's ● Nov. 16, 2025
Their promotional video shows Māori performing a traditional poi dance and the haka, a ceremonial war dance, as project leaders laud the “complete partnership” between Māori and Colossal Biosciences.
From Slate ● Aug. 8, 2025
A New Zealand parliamentary committee has proposed that three Māori MPs be suspended from parliament for their protest haka during a sitting last year.
From BBC ● May 15, 2025
During a vote on the bill’s first reading on Thursday, the first step in passing a bill through Parliament, 22-year-old MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke led a haka in the chambers.
From Salon ● Nov. 15, 2024
Worsley gave a lecture on New Zealand and taught several volunteers the Maori war dance, the haka.
From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong
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