Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Jump To:
  • mauna loa
    mauna loa
    noun
    a vine, Canavalia microcarpa, of the legume family, naturalized in Hawaii, having pink or lavender flowers used to make leis.
  • Mauna Loa
    Mauna Loa
    noun
    an active volcano on the Island of Hawaii: one of the five shield volcanoes that form the island, and the world’s largest volcano that rises above the ocean. 13,680 feet (4,170 meters).

mauna loa

1 American  
[mou-nuh loh-uh, maw-nuh] / ˈmaʊ nə ˈloʊ ə, ˈmɔ nə /

noun

  1. a vine, Canavalia microcarpa, of the legume family, naturalized in Hawaii, having pink or lavender flowers used to make leis.


Mauna Loa 2 American  
[mou-nuh loh-uh, maw-nuh] / ˈmaʊ nə ˈloʊ ə, ˈmɔ nə /

noun

  1. an active volcano on the Island of Hawaii: one of the five shield volcanoes that form the island, and the world’s largest volcano that rises above the ocean. 13,680 feet (4,170 meters).


Mauna Loa British  
/ ˈmaʊnɑː ˈləʊɑː /

noun

  1. an active volcano in Hawaii, on S central Hawaii island. Height: 4171 m (13 684 ft)

"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 mauna loa1

After Mauna Loa

Origin of Mauna Loa2

First recorded in 1840–45; from Hawaiian: literally, “Long Mountain; Great Mountain”

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:

This is a record yearly increase since atmospheric measurements were first taken at the remote Mauna Loa research station in Hawaii in 1958.

From BBC Jan. 16, 2025

Measurements taken at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii indicate that CO2 levels are currently around 423 ppm.

From Los Angeles Times Oct. 23, 2024

On macadamia nuts, lawmakers passed legislation that would force macadamia-nut processors of iconic brands like Mauna Loa to disclose whether their products contain kernels grown outside Hawaii.

From Seattle Times May 3, 2024

According to the U.S.G.S, the earthquake struck Mauna Loa, the world’s largest active volcano.

From New York Times Feb. 9, 2024

At Swanson’s home lab in Hawaii, the volcanoes K.lauea and Mauna Loa were like blisters, rising as magma swelled inside and then deflating once the fluid was released in an eruption.

From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Join 12,000,000 vocabulary learners

Start learning new words today on VocabTrainer.
You'll remember them forever.

Start training