Hawaiian

noun

Ha·​wai·​ian hə-ˈwä-yən How to pronounce Hawaiian (audio)
-ˈwī-(y)ən,
-ˈwȯ-yən
1
: a native or resident of Hawaii
especially : one of Polynesian ancestry

Note: In Hawaii, the word Hawaiian is understood as an ethnic designation for a native person of Polynesian descent, and its use in the more general sense "a resident of Hawaii" is considered an error.

2
: the Polynesian language of the Hawaiians
Hawaiian adjective

Examples of Hawaiian in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
If remains are found on tribal lands, are more than 50 years old or otherwise suspected to be Native Hawaiian, medical examiners contact the Department of Land and Natural Resources' State Historic Preservation Division for confirmation. CBS News, 27 Nov. 2024 Will McGough has been covering travel for 15 years and is a tour guide in the Hawaiian Islands. Will McGough, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024 Earlier this month, the Hawaiian Department of Agriculture (HDOA) reported that bird flu was confirmed in a backyard flock of various birds in Central Oahu. Louis Casiano, Fox News, 25 Nov. 2024 Alaska Airlines acquired Hawaiian Airlines without pushback from President Joe Biden’s administration this year. Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 20 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for Hawaiian 

Word History

First Known Use

1840, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Hawaiian was in 1840

Dictionary Entries Near Hawaiian

Cite this Entry

“Hawaiian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Hawaiian. Accessed 4 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

Hawaiian

noun
Ha·​wai·​ian hə-ˈwä-yən How to pronounce Hawaiian (audio)
-ˈwī(y)ən,
-ˈwȯ-yən
1
: a person born or living in Hawaii
especially : one of Polynesian ancestry
2
: the Polynesian language of the Hawaiians
Hawaiian adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on Hawaiian

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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