kurī

See also: Appendix:Variations of "kuri"

Maori

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *kuli (compare with Samoan ulī, Tongan kulī, Tahitian ʻurī and ʻūrī, Rarotongan kurī, Tuamotuan kurio and kuri, Hawaiian ʻīlio) from Proto-Oceanic *kuli (compare with Fijian koli). Sense of horse from semantic extension, Elsdon Best famously recorded a oral retelling of Tūhoe elder Te Maitaranui first seeing "man-carrying dogs" (kurī waha tangata) whilst visiting the Bay of Islands circa 1820; see also connection between Hawaiian ʻīlio and lio (“horse”) as well as in North American languages like between Cree ᒥᐢᑕᑎᒼ (mistatim, “horse”) and ᐊᑎᒼ (atim, “dog”).

Noun

kurī

1. dog
2. (rare, obsolete) horse

   Synonym: hōiho

Further reading

• “kurī” in John C. Moorfield, Te Aka: Maori–English, English–Maori Dictionary and Index, 3rd edition, Longman/Pearson Education New Zealand, 2011, →ISBN.

Rapa Nui

Etymology

From From Proto-Polynesian *kuli (“dog”). Rapa Nui is the only Polynesian Language that shows a semantic shift from dog to cat.

Noun

kurī

1. cat

References

• “kurí” in Comisión para la Estructuración de la Lengua Rapanui, Diccionario etimológico rapanui-español (2000).
• Ministerio de Desarrollo Social y Familia. Diccionario de la lengua Rapa Nui. He Puka Rara Rauhuru Vānaŋa Rapa Nui (2022)

Rarotongan

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *kuli (compare with Maori kurī, Samoan ulī, Tongan kulī, Tahitian ʻurī and ʻūrī, Tuamotuan kurio and kuri, Hawaiian ʻīlio) from Proto-Oceanic *kuli (compare with Fijian koli).

Noun

kurī

1. dog

References

“kurī” in Cook Islands Languages, 2016.