lanai

noun

la·​nai lə-ˈnī 

lä-

plural lanais

: a roofed porch : veranda

… a covered porch is called a "lanai" in Hawaii …

—Sanette Tanaka

… Honolulu landscape architect James C. Hubbard used four L-shaped extensions to broaden an entry lanai.

—Sunset

… my feelings are just as ambivalent and I sit on the front lanai of my rented bungalow in Palm Springs, California …

—Douglas Coupland

Synonyms

• gallery [Southern & Midland]
• piazza [dialect]
• porch
• stoop
• veranda
• verandah

Examples of lanai in a Sentence

a low-slung Hawaiian beach house with an open-sided lanai to catch the tropical breezes

Recent Examples on the Web

Not only are there two bedrooms and one bathroom, there’s a lanai, dedicated laundry area, garage, and exterior parking. —Emma Reynolds, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024

Oceanview rooms, suites, and luxury villas are available with a private lanai. —Geoff Whitmore, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024

Apple cider is served each afternoon at the lobby lanai. —Robin Raven, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024

Watch outriggers glide down the Ala Wai from your breezy rooftop lanai while sipping a cup of Kona coffee, then pop down to Redfish for a proper bowl of poke. —Krista Simmons, Sunset Magazine, 11 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Hawaiian lānai

First Known Use

1823, in the meaning defined above

Geographical Definition

Lanai

geographical name

La·​nai lə-ˈnī 

lä-

variants or Lana'i

island of Hawaii west of Maui and south of Molokai area 141 square miles (367 square kilometers)