hala

noun

ha·​la

ˈhälə

plural -s

: a screw pine (Pandanus odoratissimus synonym P. tectorius) native from southern Asia west to Hawaii having a trunk supported by a clump of slanting aerial roots, branches ending in spiral tufts of long narrow leaves which are used for plaiting mats, baskets, and hats, and fruits resembling pineapples but falling apart on ripening into many wedge-shaped yellow to red sections which are used as food in Micronesia and for leis in Polynesia

Word History

Etymology

Hawaiian

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