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• lanai
  lanai

  noun

  a veranda, especially a fully furnished one used as a living room.
• Lanai
  Lanai

  noun

  an island in central Hawaii: no longer a globally commercial pineapple producer, but formerly the site of the world’s largest pineapple plantation. 141 sq. mi. (365 sq. km).

Trivia Time

Before the 1800s, what type of structure in Hawaiian homes was called a lanai?

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lanai

¹ American  

[lah-nah-ee, luh-nahy] / lɑˈnɑ i, ləˈnaɪ /

noun

Hawaiian.

plural

lanais

1. a veranda, especially a fully furnished one used as a living room.

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Lanai ² American  

[lah-nah-ee, luh-nahy] / lɑˈnɑ i, ləˈnaɪ /

Or Lana'i

noun

1. an island in central Hawaii: no longer a globally commercial pineapple producer, but formerly the site of the world’s largest pineapple plantation. 141 sq. mi. (365 sq. km).

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Lanai ¹ British  

/ ləˈnaɪ, lɑːˈnɑːɪ /

noun

1. an island in central Hawaii, west of Maui island. Pop: 3193 (2000). Area: 363 sq km. (140 sq miles)

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lanai ² British  

/ lɑːˈnɑːɪ, ləˈnaɪ /

noun

1. a Hawaiian word for veranda

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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.

Example Sentences

The camera had recorded her sweeping up the lanai while wearing brown athleisure.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026

“I jumped out of my bunk and I ran over to the edge of the lanai and just as I got there, a plane went right over the barracks,” he said.

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

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