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weka

American  
[wey-kuh, wee-] / ˈweɪ kə, ˈwi- /

noun

  1. any of several large, flightless New Zealand rails of the genus Gallirallus.


weka British  
/ ˈweɪkə, ˈwiːkə /

noun

  1. Also: Māori hen.   wood hen.  any flightless New Zealand rail of the genus Gallirallus, having a mottled brown plumage and rudimentary wings

"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

Etymology

Origin of weka

Borrowed into English from Maori around 1835–45

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.

See Examples For:

An iconic large flightless bird, the weka is famous for its feisty and curious personality.

From BBC Jul. 23, 2024

The bird, a weka, has become extinct over large parts of New Zealand- and is a fully protected species.

From BBC Jul. 23, 2024

When we went ashore one afternoon to talk about changing the crews, a flightless bird called a weka wandered out of the woods and started foraging on the beach.

From Washington Post Mar. 22, 2018

He now had a collection of eggs of all birds which nest on the island, with the exception of the weka and the tern.

From The Home of the Blizzard Being the Story of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, 1911-1914 by Mawson, Douglas, Sir

During the day these blankets were always hung outside on a tree, out of the reach of the most investigating weka.

From Station Amusements in New Zealand by Barker, Lady (Mary Anne)

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