waka

[wah-kuh]

noun

plural

waka, wakas 

1. Prosody.,  tanka.

2. poetry written in Japanese, as distinct from poetry written in Chinese by a Japanese writer, or poetry in other languages.

waka

/ ˈwɔːkə /

noun

1. a Māori canoe, usually made from a tree trunk

2. a tribal group claiming descent from the first Māori settlers in New Zealand

Word History and Origins

Origin of waka¹

1875–80; < Japanese: literally, Japanese song < Middle Chinese, equivalent to Chinese hé harmony (as a euphemistic reading of the character for wō dwarf, an ancient Chinese designation for the Japanese ) + gē song

Word History and Origins

Origin of waka¹

Māori

Example Sentences

A research effort led by Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka has generated an in-depth structural map of a bacteriophage, offering new insight into how these viruses could be used to counter drug-resistant bacteria.

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Business owners, like Mohammed Hanif Waka, who owns a stationery shop in the capital, says he has lost many customers since putting up prices.

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On the last day of early voting, they had a DJ cranking out rap from Young Jeezy and Waka Flocka Flame, and a line of food trucks serving free French fries, Philly cheesesteaks and shaved ice.

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These are some of the offerings and areas served by Club Waka, a national organization that offers social sports for players of all skill levels.

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In the documentary, rapper Waka Flocka Flame goes as far as saying that Trump was more like Tupac Shakur — a monumental figure in hip-hop — than Barack Obama was.

Read more on Seattle Times