wahine

See also: wāhine

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Maori and Hawaiian wahine (“woman”), from Proto-Polynesian *fafine.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /wɑːˈhiːnɪ/
• (US) IPA^(key): /wɑˈhineɪ/, /wɑˈhini/

• Audio (General American):

  (file)

  ,

  Audio (General American):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -iːni, -iːneɪ

Noun

wahine (plural wahines)

1. A Polynesian or Maori woman.
   • 2005, Thomas Lisanti, Hollywood Surf and Beach Movies: The First Wave, 1959–1969, McFarland & Company, page 224:

     One Way Wahine was the next beach movie, after Ride the Wild Surf, to be filmed on the sands of Hawaii. It was marketed to the teenage audience as a beach movie but it is a more serious look at the seamy side of Hawaii and the surf bums and one way wahines who go there to make a quick buck.

   • 2007, Michael A. Herr, The Old Queen's Treasure, Lulu.com, page 106:

     The photographs showed a very plain-looking, very young wahine.

   • 2007, Kay L. McDonald, Heart in Custody, iUniverse, page 40:

     Cowboy applauded his pupils and turned to the audience. “Give these two wahines a round, folks. They've been good sports.”

2. (surfing) A female surfer.

Anagrams

• Anhwei

Bunama

Etymology

Ultimately from Proto-Polynesian *fafine. This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /waɣine/

Noun

wahine

1. woman

Further reading

• Malcolm Ross, Proto Oceanic and the Austronesian Languages of Western Melanesia, Pacific Linguistics, series C-98 (1988)

Duau

Etymology

Ultimately from Proto-Polynesian *fafine. This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Noun

wahine

1. woman

Further reading

• Malcolm Ross, Proto Oceanic and the Austronesian Languages of Western Melanesia, Pacific Linguistics, series C-98 (1988)

Hawaiian

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *fafine, from Proto-Austronesian *bahi (“woman”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /waˈhi.ne/, [ʋəˈhi.ne]

Noun

wahine (irregular plural wāhine)

1. woman, female
2. (by extension) wife

Descendants

• → English: wahine (with Maori wahine)

Maori

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *fafine.

Noun

wahine (irregular plural wāhine)

1. woman

Descendants

• → English: wahine (with Hawaiian wahine)