makai

[muh-kahy]

adverb

Hawaii.

1. toward or by the sea; seaward.

   He agreed to purchase the land makai of Diamond Head Road.

Word History and Origins

Origin of makai¹

< Hawaiian, equivalent to ma directional particle + kai ocean

Example Sentences

A sliver of hope immediately turned to ecstasy as quarterback Jayden Maiava launched a rope to the corner of the end zone that found Makai Lemon for a go-ahead score with under less than two minutes remaining in the game.

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Makai Lemon came screaming across the center of the field, gliding past one Michigan State defender, then another, moving as if the world around him were in slow motion.

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Two plays later, he hit Makai Lemon on the run for another explosive play of 21 yards.

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The only indisputable truth to emerge was that Trojans receivers Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane would be serious problems for every one of their opponents.

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Ja’Kobi Lane and Makai Lemon, USC’s top two receivers, didn’t catch any passes after halftime … because they didn’t have to.

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When To Use

What does makai mean?

Makai means toward the sea.Makai is a common term in Hawaiian that has been adopted into English. It describes the location of something in terms of being near or at the ocean, or seaward.Related to makai is mauka, meaning "toward the mountains or inland.” People in Hawaii often give directions in terms of whether something is toward the ocean (makai) or the mountains (mauka), especially in boating and sea travel.Example: The hiking trail makai of the reservation has lovely ocean views.