haka
Americannoun
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a ceremonial Maori war dance that involves chanting.
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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
Last November, a video of the trio performing the haka - a chanting dance of defiance sometimes performed at sports events and graduation ceremonies in New Zealand - went viral and drew global attention.
From BBC ● Jun. 5, 2025
Such is the strength of feeling that New Zealand's parliament was brought to a temporary halt last week by MPs performing a haka, or traditional dance, in opposition to the bill.
From BBC ● Nov. 18, 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
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.
