wahine

Borrowed from Maori and Hawaiian wahine (“woman”), from Proto-Polynesian *fafine.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /wɑːˈhiːnɪ/
• (US) IPA^(key): /wɑˈhineɪ/, /wɑˈhini/
• Rhymes: -iːni, -iːneɪ

wahine (plural wahines)

1. A Polynesian or Maori woman.
   • 2005, Thomas Lisanti, Hollywood Surf and Beach Movies: The First Wave, 1959–1969, McFarland & Company, page 224,

     One Way Wahine was the next beach movie, after Ride the Wild Surf, to be filmed on the sands of Hawaii. It was marketed to the teenage audience as a beach movie but it is a more serious look at the seamy side of Hawaii and the surf bums and one way wahines who go there to make a quick buck.

   • 2007, Michael A. Herr, The Old Queen's Treasure, Lulu.com, page 106,

     The photographs showed a very plain-looking, very young wahine.

   • 2007, Kay L. McDonald, Heart in Custody, iUniverse, page 40,

     Cowboy applauded his pupils and turned to the audience. “Give these two wahines a round, folks. They've been good sports.”

2. (surfing) A female surfer.

• Anhwei

Ultimately from Proto-Polynesian *fafine. This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

• IPA^(key): /waɣine/

wahine

1. woman

• Malcolm Ross, Proto Oceanic and the Austronesian Languages of Western Melanesia, Pacific Linguistics, series C-98 (1988)

Ultimately from Proto-Polynesian *fafine. This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

wahine

1. woman

• Malcolm Ross, Proto Oceanic and the Austronesian Languages of Western Melanesia, Pacific Linguistics, series C-98 (1988)

From Proto-Polynesian *fafine.

• IPA^(key): /waˈhi.ne/, [ʋəˈhine]

wahine (irregular plural wāhine)

1. woman, female
2. (by extension) wife

• → English: wahine (with Maori wahine)

From Proto-Polynesian *fafine.

wahine (irregular plural wāhine)

1. woman

• → English: wahine (with Hawaiian wahine)