First recorded in 1865–70; from Hawaiian lānai ”roofed structure with open sides, porch”
If you're sitting on a covered veranda or porch that's attached to a house — especially if you happen to be in Hawaii — you're lucky enough to be lounging on a lanai. A lanai is a very common element in Hawaiian homes and buildings; in fact, many hotels and restaurants have more than one lanai. The original purpose of a lanai, which is simply an open-sided veranda with a roof, was to provide a cool spot for sitting and enjoying a shady breeze. Modern Hawaiian buildings sometimes have "enclosed lanais," which are glass-walled, air conditioned porches. As a proper noun, Lanai is the sixth-largest Hawaiian island.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The camera had recorded her sweeping up the lanai while wearing brown athleisure.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 5, 2026
Adding to the spacious floor plan is a lanai, which has enough room for weights, mats and a Peloton, as well as a lounge area, washer and dryer, sink and a huge walk-in storage space.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2025
A husband and wife were watching a movie around 9 p.m. on June 15 when the wife heard noises from the pool lanai and observed someone she didn’t recognize on the pool deck, Gualtieri said.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 27, 2023
An architect created drawings for a two-bedroom, one-bathroom house, complete with energy-efficient appliances and a covered lanai.
From Salon ● Nov. 29, 2022
Olly’s seated on the top rung of the railing on the lanai.
From "Everything, Everything" by Nicola Yoon
Authorities warn that the same storm system is now threatening other islands, with flash flood alerts and evacuation warnings issued for parts of Maui, Molokai and Lanai.
From Salon ● Mar. 22, 2026
Thirty years ago, I was vacationing at the Manele Bay Resort in Lanai, Hawaii, when my wife noticed an actor seated near us.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 7, 2026
The wildfire’s effects may also stretch beyond Maui, because scientists believe currents carry water from Lahaina waters to nearby Lanai and Molokai.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 2, 2024
Travelers are welcome in Kahului, Wailuku, Kihei, Wailea, Makena, Paia and Hana, as well as the neighboring Maui County islands of Lanai and Molokai, according to official state guidance.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2023
They left the place, went to Keawanui, to the place called Kaleloa, and there they met a man who was getting his canoe ready to sail for Lanai.
From The Hawaiian Romance Of Laieikawai by Beckwith, Martha Warren
Shaded lanais looked out on little gardens of mostly fruit trees and vegetables.
From Slate ● Nov. 27, 2021
Lounges and lanais surround a swimming pool out back.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 22, 2021
Stucco homes with neatly trimmed lawns and spacious lanais nestle inside gated “villages” with names like Lancaster and Oxford Place.
From New York Times ● Mar. 3, 2011
It fixed existing dining options by giving them a "contemporary expression," enlarged lanais and improved views, and it added a sushi bar and a lobby bar.
From Golf Digest ● Aug. 2, 2010
He knew the holoku in the home of its origin, where, on the lanais of Hawaii, it gave charm to a plain woman and double-folded the charm of a charming woman.
From The Little Lady of the Big House by London, Jack
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.
