tiki
Americannoun
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(initial capital letter) (in Polynesian mythology) the first man on earth.
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(in Polynesian cultures) a carved image, as of a god or ancestor, sometimes worn as a pendant around the neck.
noun
verb
Etymology
Origin of tiki
1875–80; < Maori and Marquesan
Explanation
A tiki is a large Polynesian carving of a human-like figure. It's very common to see tiki imagery in Hawaii, in locations ranging from sacred sites to tourist hotels. The word tiki means "image" in Eastern Polynesian, and these impressive stone or wooden carvings originally represented the first man in Māori mythology, Tiki. In New Zealand, Tahiti, and Hawaii, tiki are usually huge, towering statues, but small versions are sometimes worn as pendants. The visual style of tiki inspired 20th-century American tiki culture, which included South Pacific-themed bars and restaurants and was criticized for appropriating elements of indigenous Polynesian culture.
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.
The property includes a landscaped front yard with a waterfall and a tiki hut-style pavilion that is used as a gym or for yoga, according to listing agent Chris Cortazzo of Compass.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
“I ran into a tiki bar one time. That wasn’t too good,” said Derrick Hoy, 55, who fishes scallops in the Atlantic on a different vessel from Crusher, the 30-foot boat he competes with.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
"I called her my tiki torch," Lampert said.
From BBC ● Feb. 14, 2026
“Because everyone is using the word ‘martini’ to describe things that are basically like, I don’t know, tiki drinks.”
From Salon ● Nov. 30, 2025
Abbey perched on the bow, watching out for obstacles, while I tried to navigate by the lights of the shoreline: motels, mansions, RV parks, tiki bars.
From "Flush" by Carl Hiaasen
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
