kiwikiwi
English
Alternative forms
Etymology
Borrowed from Māori.
Noun
kiwikiwi (countable and uncountable, plural kiwikiwi or kiwikiwis)
- (obsolete) The kiwi, a flightless bird of the order Apterygiformes native to New Zealand.
- 1838, The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction, Volume 32, J. Limbird:
- The kiwikiwi, or Apteryx Australis, placed under the head of Struthionidæ, by Mr. Gould, who has admirably figured the male and female, in his splendid work on Australian birds, is the most curious specimen of ornithology in New Zealand.
- 1883, Sunshine at Home: Sparkling Pages for the Child, the Youth, the Parent : a Family Portfolio of Natural History, Biography, and Bible Scenes, Review and Herald, page 107:
- As there have always been very few kiwi-kiwi, and those few exceedingly hard to find, it follows naturally that the skins are very scarce, and consequently highly prized.
- A star fern or creek fern, of species Blechnum fluviatie.
References
- “kiwikiwi”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
Māori
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈkiwikiwi/ [ˈkiwikiwi]
Noun
kiwikiwi
Noun
kiwikiwi
- Blechnum fluviatile, the star fern or creek fern.
Descendants
- English: kiwikiwi
See also
| tea, mā | kiwikiwi | pango, mangu |
| mea, kura, whero | karaka; parauri | kōwhai, renga |
| kāriki, kākāriki | kārikiuri | |
| kikorangi | kahurangi | |
| tūāuri | waiporoporo | māwhero |