pusi
The Samoan word for cat is pusi.
pusi is used to refer to the domestic species of cat.
Meaning: domestic species (noun)
Did you know?
- Even though pusi originated from English, its meaning in Samoan is strictly the animal and does not carry the slang or anatomical connotations that 'pussy' might have in English.
- The Samoan word pusi is an adaptation of the English word 'pussy', which was introduced to the islands by European sailors and settlers.
- Samoan is a VSO (Verb-Subject-Object) language, meaning if you say a cat is sleeping, the word for 'sleeping' will almost always come before the word pusi.
Examples in context
- E iai se pusi i luga o le nofoa.There is a cat on the chair.
- O se pusi itiiti lena.That is a small cat.
Example conversation
Sione and Losa are looking at a pet in the yard.
- SioneSeai le pusi i lenā!Look at that cat over there!
- LosaE matagofie tele o ia.It is very beautiful.
- SioneO ai le pule o le pusi?Who is the owner of the cat?
- LosaO le pusi lea o lo'u tuaoi.That is my neighbor's cat.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cat” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
