wahine

American  

[wah-hee-nee, -ney] / wɑˈhi ni, -neɪ /

noun

plural

wahine

1. (in Hawaii and Polynesia) a girl or young woman.

2. Slang. a young woman surfer.

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wahine British  

/ wɑːˈhiːnɪ /

noun

1. (esp in the Pacific islands) a Polynesian or Māori woman, esp a girlfriend or wife

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Etymology

Origin of wahine

Borrowed into English from Polynesian around 1835–45

Example Sentences

“I like for think so. I never know for sure, but my Tūtū wahine, she never teach me or my brother ‘ōlelo.

From Literature

Kumu Maka is māhū, with elements of both kāne and wahine.

From Literature

“I didn’t say take her away from me. I said take her away. I mean from here. From this land. From her people. Look here, Clarence. You always following some pretty wahine’s idea. Why not think about what your family needs?”

From Literature

“Your mom is one exceptional woman. I never know one wahine or kāne who at thirteen decides for become a warrant officer. But your mom knew. She had one vision for her life. Saw herself flying those Apache helicopters. And she went make it happen. She went after something. Not follow someone else’s vision. Not run away like your dad.”

From Literature

“As a Wahine Maori, a Maori woman, my relationship with water is deep. Our creation story pays homage to water. I can trace my lineage back to when I was water. And so we honour that connection and that’s why we often say Ko Wai Mātou. We are water.”

From National Geographic