lanai
noun
a veranda, especially a fully furnished one used as a living room.
lanai
1 American
[lah-nah-ee, luh-nahy]
/ lɑˈnɑ i, ləˈnaɪ /
noun
Hawaiian.
-
lanais
plural
Lanai
2
American
[lah-nah-ee, luh-nahy]
/ lɑˈnɑ i, ləˈnaɪ /
Or
Lana'i
noun
Lanai
1
British
/ ləˈnaɪ, lɑːˈnɑːɪ /
noun
lanai
2
British
/ lɑːˈnɑːɪ, ləˈnaɪ /
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of lanai
First recorded in 1865–70; from Hawaiian lānai ”roofed structure with open sides, porch”
Explanation
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.
Vocabulary lists containing lanai
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.
See Examples For:
When the AI reported “a person is jumping from the roof of a house,” it was Soderstrom again, this time standing up quickly in the lanai and grabbing a hose or broom, she recalled.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 5, 2026
In an oral history interview in 2008, he recalled being awakened by explosions and dashing to the lanai, or porch, of his quarters.
From New York Times ● Mar. 21, 2024
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
And shortly after, Johnson, who in 2021 vowed to never return to the muscle-car saga, confirmed his change of heart from a lanai in Hawaii.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 2, 2023
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
Before the sniff test, the work at Canyon mirrored cleaning that occurred at other affected schools, including Lanai Road Elementary School in Encino and Roscomare Road Elementary School in Bel-Air.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 31, 2025
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
Thou shalt have, besides the land I gave thee in Kohala, all that thou shalt ask of Lanai.
From Hawaiian Folk Tales A Collection of Native Legends by Thomas G. (Thomas George) Thrum
Shaded lanais looked out on little gardens of mostly fruit trees and vegetables.
From Slate ● Nov. 27, 2021
Expansive lanais wrap around the home, extending the living space outdoors.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 2, 2019
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
There: rugs, ices, pictures, lanais, worldly books, sinful bric-a-brac fetched from everywhere.
From Following the Equator — Part 1 by Mark Twain
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.
