moa

[ moh-uh ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

any of several flightless birds of the family Dinornithidae, of New Zealand, related to the kiwis but resembling the ostrich: extinct since about the end of the 18th century.

moa

/ ˈməʊə /

any large flightless bird of the recently extinct order Dinornithiformes of New Zealand See ratite

Origin of moa¹

Borrowed into English from Maori around 1810–20

Origin of moa¹

C19: from Māori

When humans hunted moas to extinction about 800 years ago, the Haast’s eagle died out as well.

It was a regular mill—the gizzard of a Moa—full of pebbles as big as hickory nuts.

Mr. Mantell is of opinion that the Moa and his congeners continued in existence long after the advent of the aboriginal Maori.

The moa and dinoris were both gone; there were few insects, and no reptiles.

On one occasion he took three of our officers to Moa, a native town situated near the south-east extremity of the island.

This and the following are the two smallest species of Moa, having been about the size of a large turkey.

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