Oahu

American

[oh-ah-hoo] / oʊˈɑ hu /

Or O'ahu

noun

an island in central Hawaii: third largest and most important island of the state; location of Honolulu. 589 sq. mi. (1,525 sq. km).

Oahu British

/ əʊˈɑːhuː /

noun

an island in central Hawaii: the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands. Chief town: Honolulu. Pop: 876 151 (2000). Area: 1574 sq km (608 sq miles)

"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

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.

Jason Momoa, the Game of Thrones and Aquaman actor, said that his family had to evacuate their home on the North Shore of Oahu due to the storm.

From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026

As floodwaters begin to recede on Oahu, residents are returning home to assess the damage and, in many cases, what’s been lost.

From Salon • Mar. 22, 2026

Torrential rains caused homes and streets to flood on the northern coast of Hawaii’s Oahu on Friday, and local officials warned that a dam on the island could fail, sending more water into communities.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

Other sections are apparently based largely on the author’s speculation, including her belief that Goebbels sent the family to Oahu after discovering Ruth’s Jewish heritage.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 4, 2025

Behind Fuchida, 180 Japanese planes peeled away and dove for Oahu.

From "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand

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