povi
The English word cow is translated into Samoan as povi.
The term is used to refer to an adult female of the species Bos taurus.
Meaning: adult female of species Bos taurus (noun)
Did you know?
- The Latin root of povi, which is 'bovis', is also the ancestor of the English word 'bovine'.
- While povi is used for the animal, the pig is the primary status symbol in Samoan ceremonial gift-giving.
- Cattle were not native to Samoa and were introduced by Europeans, which is why the word povi is a loanword rather than a native Polynesian term.
Examples in context
- O se povi tele lea.That is a large cow.
- Ua sogomo le povi i luga o le timarea.The cow is grazing on the grass.
Example conversation
Tasi and Losa are walking past a pasture.
- TasiVa'ai i lē povi tele!Look at that big cow!
- LosaAe lauiloa le povi lenā.But that cow is very gentle.
- TasiE sili lava le povi e tau.The cow is better for farming.
- LosaE moni lava lena mea, Tasi.That is very true, Tasi.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cow” translations and entries povi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries povi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
