matai

British

/ ˈmɑːtaɪ /

noun

Also called: black pine. a coniferous evergreen tree of New Zealand, Podocarpus spicatus, having a bluish bark and small linear leaves arranged in two rows: timber used for flooring and weatherboards

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of matai

Māori

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.

In Samoa, only a matai - a family or clan leader - can be elected to parliament.

From BBC • Dec. 7, 2021

She was now the leader of her clan, or matai.

From BBC • Dec. 7, 2021

"Fundamentally our electoral system was premised on our traditional matai system," she said.

From Reuters • Jul. 30, 2021

And how can due process be served in a world in which it is regarded as impolite to refuse a request, especially from a matai, or all powerful village chief?

From Time Magazine Archive

"The warrior that killed O was To'oto'o, the matai," continued Papalangi Mativa with the air of one announcing the end of the world.

From Wild Justice: Stories of the South Seas by Osbourne, Lloyd

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023