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weka

American

[wey-kuh, wee-] / ˈweɪ kə, ˈwi- /

noun

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

weka British

/ ˈweɪkə, ˈwiːkə /

noun

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.

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

From BBC • Jul. 23, 2024

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

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

The melancholy cry of a bittern, or the shrill wail of the weka, startled me from time to time, but there was no other sound to break the eternal silence.

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

A tussock, a clump of flax, a tuft of tall tohi grass, all serve as hiding-places; and, wingless as she is, the weka can hold her own very well against her enemies, the dogs.

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

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023