kāhili

Hawaiian

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *taafiri (compare with Maori tāwhiri and tāhiri (both meaning “to beckon, to wave, to welcome”) plus Tahitian tāhiri and tāhirihiri (both meaning “fan”)).[1] Also reanalysed as kā +‎ hili.[2]

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /kaːˈhi.li/

Noun

kāhili

  1. feather standard mounted on a pole, as traditionally used in Hawaii on ceremonial occasions
  2. crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica), an ornamental plant from Asia
  3. Hedychium gardnerianum, plant related to ginger native to the Himalayas but widely grown and invasive elsewhere in warm climates.
    Synonym: ʻawapuhi kāhili

Verb

kāhili

  1. to brush, to sweep
  2. to switch

Derived terms
  • hoʻokahili

Descendants
  • → English: kahili

References
  1. Ross Clark and Simon J. Greenhill, editors (2011), “taa-firi”, in POLLEX-Online: The Polynesian Lexicon Project Online
  2. Pukui, Mary Kawena, Elbert, Samuel H. (1986) “kāhili”, in Hawaiian Dictionary, revised & enlarged edition, Honolulu, HI: University of Hawai'i Press, →ISBN, page 112
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