make
/ˈma.ke/
The Hawaiian word for dead is make.
The adjective make is used to describe someone or something that is no longer alive.
Meaning: no longer alive (adj)
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 2 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable. The IPA is /ˈma.ke/.
Did you know?
- The word make is structurally related to the Malagasy word maty spoken in Madagascar, thousands of miles from Hawaii.
- In some traditional contexts, referring to someone as make is avoided in favor of phrases that describe them as having 'passed on' to a different realm.
- While make means 'dead' in Hawaiian, it is a cognate of the word 'mate' used in many other Pacific languages like Māori and Fijian.
Examples in context
- Ua make kēlā kanaka i ka pō nei.That person died last night.
- ʻOia i moe i kona hōkū wale nō.He/she slept his/her final sleep.
Example conversation
Malia and Kai are walking in a garden.
- MaliaKai, e nānā i kēia lāʻau.Kai, look at this plant.
- KaiUa make anei?Is it dead?
- MaliaʻAe, make loa ia.Yes, it is completely dead.
- KaiE huki iā ia.Pull it out.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “dead” translations and entries make, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries make, CC BY-SA 4.0.
