holoholona
/ˌho.lo.hoˈlo.na/
The Hawaiian word for animal is holoholona.
The term holoholona is used to refer to any living organism that is not a human.
Meaning: organism other than human (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The word consists of 5 syllables: /ˌho.lo.hoˈlo.na/. The stress is on the 4th syllable.
Did you know?
- The word holoholona literally translates to 'one who goes for a walk' or 'one who wanders about'.
- The verb holoholo is still used today as a common slang term meaning 'to go sightseeing' or 'to go on a joyride'.
- While English uses 'animal' to group species, a Hawaiian speaker might instinctively categorize life by whether it 'goes' (motion) or 'stays' (static).
Example conversation
Kai and Leilani are walking in a park.
- KaiHe holoholona aha kēlā?What animal is that?
- LeilaniHe puaʻa ia, e Kai.It is a pig, Kai.
- KaiHe holoholona akamai loa ia.It is a very smart animal.
- LeilaniʻAe, ʻo ia nō.Yes, it is.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry holoholona, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries holoholona, CC BY-SA 4.0.
