paua

American  

[pou-uh] / ˈpaʊ ə /

noun

1. a large, edible abalone of New Zealand, Haliotis iris, the shell of which is used in making jewelry.

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paua British  

/ ˈpɑːʊɑ /

noun

1. an edible abalone, Haliotis iris, of New Zealand, having an iridescent shell used esp for jewellery

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Etymology

Origin of paua

Borrowed into English from Maori around 1810–20

Example Sentences

The bride's hairdresser, Tane Tomoana, shared pictures of "paua and snapper" rolls enjoyed by guests.

From BBC • Jan. 13, 2024

“Crayfish was probably as close as you’ve got to it — but now kina has become a real delicacy, and paua is so hot everywhere.”

From New York Times • Dec. 9, 2022

“A lot of the local men – the old-time fisherman and paua divers – who are against it are very domineering,” says Leask.

From The Guardian • Jan. 28, 2016

"The natives always tie a feather or two to their paua, or fish-hooks."

From Austral English A dictionary of Australasian words, phrases and usages with those aboriginal-Australian and Maori words which have become incorporated in the language, and the commoner scientific words that have had their origin in Australasia by Morris, Edward Ellis