lei
1 Americannoun
-
leis
plural
noun
noun
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of lei
Borrowed into English from Hawaiian around 1835–45
Explanation
In Hawaii, a sweet-smelling garland of flowers is called a lei. Traditional hula dancers often wear elaborate leis made of ferns, leaves, and blossoms. Leis are such an important part of Hawaiian culture that May 1 is known as "Lei Day" and is celebrated across all the islands. It's also customary to give leis to special guests, brides and grooms, funeral mourners, retirees, and people celebrating birthdays. The custom extends to other parts of Polynesia, including Samoa and Tahiti. The Hawaiian root of lei means "ornament worn about the neck or head."
Vocabulary lists containing lei
The House Swap
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Dragonfruit
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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:
If you don’t splurge on an airport lei greeting, pick one up at a local Target.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 2026
Since the crisis erupted, the interest rates at which Romania borrows have risen, and the lei currency has depreciated against the euro, which reached an all-time high of 5.21 Romanian lei on Tuesday.
From Barron's ● May 5, 2026
He added a bookshelf, filling it with items, such as Daniel’s boyhood rock collection and a lei from their trip to Maui.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 5, 2025
In return he promised monthly top-up payments of 5,000 Moldovan lei to pensioners, or about £200.
From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2024
Wearing the traditional crisp white barong shirt and often sporting a lei of flowers, he looked fit and handsome and was always smiling.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
She cried afterward, as her family draped her in leis.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 1, 2026
Nearly midway into the third quarter, it looked like the highlight of Foster’s day might be walking off the team bus with a collection of colorful leis draped around his neck.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 31, 2024
One delegate from Hawaii accessorized his kaffiyeh with colorful floral leis.
From Slate ● Aug. 22, 2024
But, by Buffett's 2007 "Bama Breeze" tour, I was ready to hang with the adults, draped in fake leis and ready to sing, clap and dance along with my parents and the other Parrot Heads.
From Salon ● Sep. 5, 2023
“You know, leis were traditionally given only to royalty,” I say, quoting from my guidebook.
From "Everything, Everything" by Nicola Yoon
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.
