whai

Maori

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɸa.i/, [fɐ.i]

Etymology 1

From Proto-Polynesian *fai (compare with Tahitian fai, Samoan fai, Tongan fai), from Proto-Oceanic *paʀi (compare with Fijian vai), from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *paʀih, from Proto-Austronesian *paʀiS (“stingray” – compare with Malay pari, Tagalog pagi).[1]

Noun

whai

  1. stingray
  2. skate (fish of family Rajidae)

Derived terms

  • whai keo
  • whai manu
  • whai repo
  • whai uku

References

  1. ^ Ross, Malcolm D., Pawley, Andrew, Osmond, Meredith (2011) The lexicon of Proto-Oceanic, volume 4: Animals, Canberra: Australian National University, →ISBN, pages 34-5

Etymology 2

From Proto-Eastern Polynesian *fai (“to follow”).

Noun

whai

  1. pursuit

Verb

whai (passive whāia)

  1. to follow, chase, pursue
  2. to look for, search
  3. to proceed to a following action

Derived terms

  • whaikōrero
  • whaitaki
  • whaitiri
  • whāinga
  • whaiwhai
  • whāwhai

References


Etymology 3

Maybe related to Etymology 2. (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.).

Verb

whai

  1. to possess, to have
    Kei te whai au te pene.
    I have a pen.

References


Further reading

  • Williams, Herbert William (1917) “whai”, in A Dictionary of the Maori Language, pages 568-9
  • “whai” in John C. Moorfield, Te Aka: Maori–English, English–Maori Dictionary and Index, 3rd edition, Longman/Pearson Education New Zealand, 2011, →ISBN.
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