liona
/liˈo.na/
The Hawaiian word for lion is liona.
The term liona refers to the big cat Panthera leo.
Meaning: big cat Panthera leo (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /liˈo.na/. It has three syllables, with the stress on the second syllable.
When do people say it?
The word liona is a loanword adapted from the English word lion.
Did you know?
- Since there are no native large cats in Hawaii, the word liona is an example of a loanword created specifically to describe animals that do not exist in the local ecosystem.
- Unlike English, which has different words for 'lion' and 'lioness', liona is used for both genders of the animal.
- The word liona ends in a because every syllable in the Hawaiian language must end with a vowel.
Examples in context
- Ua ʻike ʻia ka liona.The lion was seen.
Example conversation
Leilani and Koa are looking at animals in a picture book.
- LeilaniHe aha kēia mea?What is this thing?
- KoaHe liona kēlā, Leilani.That is a lion, Leilani.
- LeilaniHe liona nani loa!A very beautiful lion!
- KoaʻAe, he liona ikaika kēlā.Yes, that is a strong lion.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lion” translations and entries liona, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
