maiʻa
/ˈmai̯.ʔa/
The Hawaiian word for banana is maiʻa.
maiʻa is a noun used to refer to the banana fruit.
Meaning: fruit (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables, with the stress on the first syllable. It is pronounced /ˈmai̯.ʔa/.
Did you know?
- In Hawaiian culture, the banana is often grouped with other 'canoe plants', which were essential crops brought by early Polynesian voyagers in outrigger canoes.
- The word maiʻa is a linguistic sibling to the Māori word maika, both descending from the ancient Proto-Polynesian root *maika.
- The word maiʻa belongs to a family of words that describe long, curved objects in several related Polynesian languages.
Examples in context
- Hoʻohui ʻāina pala ka maiʻa(Literally, “Annexation ripens the banana”)
- He maiʻa kēia.This is a banana.
- Makemake au i ka maiʻa.I want the banana.
Example conversation
Kiana and Keanu are preparing a snack in the kitchen.
- KianaKeanu, e kōkua mai iaʻu.Keanu, please help me.
- KeanuʻO whatau ka mea e hana ai?What should I do?
- KianaE hāmau mai i kēia maiʻa.Please peel this banana.
- KeanuʻAe, e hana au.Yes, I will do it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “banana” translations and entries maiʻa, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries maiʻa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
