lehua

American  

[ley-hoo-ah] / leɪˈhu ɑ /

noun

1. Also called ohia lehua.  a tree, Metrosideros villosa, of the Hawaiian islands, yielding a hard wood.

2. the bright-red, corymbose flower of this tree.

---

Etymology

Origin of lehua

Borrowed into English from Hawaiian around 1885–90

Example Sentences

Ohia lehua trees felled by the lava flows smoldered under the cloudy sky.

From New York Times • May 17, 2018

“People today still say, ‘Don’t pick the lehua flower or it’ll rain’ — the heavens will cry because you’ve separated the two lovers,” Mr. Haiku said.

From New York Times • Dec. 2, 2011

Our ‘ōhi‘a lehua, with bright red flowers exploding like fireworks amid the dusty green leaves.

From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila

This was a forest largely of lehua that covered the mountain slope below Ka-wai-kini.

From Unwritten Literature of Hawaii The Sacred Songs of the Hula by Emerson, Nathaniel Bright

E lawe mai a oki I na hala o Naue i ke kai, 5I na lehua lu-lu'u pali; Noho ana lohe i ke kani o ka o-�, Hoolono aku i ka leo o ke kahuli.

From Unwritten Literature of Hawaii The Sacred Songs of the Hula by Emerson, Nathaniel Bright