hapa
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of hapa
First recorded in 1985–90; from Hawaiian Pidgin: “half”
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.
The Hawaiian term hapa developed in the early 20th century to describe someone of mixed heritage, usually with Pacific Islander or Asian heritage.
From Salon • Jan. 2, 2023
There’s no character development to speak of, though the two nice sisters going gaga over the handsome hapa detective each make you root for them.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 10, 2021
Tiller is Lee’s modern American Everyman: 20 years old, one-eighth Asian, and referred to, depending on where he is in the world, as hapa, haole and farang — mixed, nonnative, white.
From New York Times • Feb. 5, 2021
Your campaign slogan was "hapa ni kazi", which roughly translates into "we mean business".
From BBC • Nov. 12, 2015
It always used to amuse me to hear Abdi calling out, "Enjani hapa, Saa Sitaa"—"Come here, Six O'clock."
From In Africa Hunting Adventures in the Big Game Country by McCutcheon, John T.
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.
