solofanua
The word for horse in Samoan is solofanua.
The term solofanua is used to refer to members of the species Equus ferus.
Meaning: members of the species ''Equus ferus'' (noun)
Did you know?
- The word solofanua is actually a linguistic descendant of a phrase describing a 'pig dashing across land' in Tahitian. It is a fascinating example of how a word for one animal can transform into a word for another through historical contact.
- The word fanua used in solofanua can also refer to a placenta in different contexts, showing the breadth of the term for 'land' or 'source'.
- The term solofanua can be broken down into two parts: solo, meaning 'to move swiftly', and fanua, meaning 'land'. This creates a vivid image of a creature moving rapidly across the terrain.
Examples in context
- E fia alu i luga o le solofanua.He wants to ride on the horse.
- E matagofie lona solofanua.Her horse is beautiful.
Example conversation
Tau and Losa are visiting a farm.
- TauVaai i le solofanua tele lea!Look at that big horse!
- LosaE matagofie tele o ia.It is very beautiful.
- TauE te fia ride i le solofanua?Do you want to ride the horse?
- LosaIoe, ou te fia ride!Yes, I want to ride!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “horse” translations and entries solofanua, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries solofanua, CC BY-SA 4.0.
