ʻoliwa
The Hawaiian word for olive is ʻoliwa.
The term refers to the fruit of the olive tree.
Meaning: fruit (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some communities, the word kalamona is used to refer to an olive.
Did you know?
- Because the olive tree does not grow naturally in Hawaii, any mention of ʻoliwa in ancient chants would be a linguistic impossibility, marking it as a modern addition to the lexicon.
- Unlike many native Hawaiian words that describe a plant's characteristics, ʻoliwa is strictly a phonetic borrowing from English.
- In the Hawaiian alphabet, the ʻ in ʻoliwa is a full consonant called the ʻokina, meaning it is not just an accent mark but a structural requirement of the word.
Examples in context
- He ʻoliwa kēia.This is an olive.
- Makemake au i ka ʻoliwa.I want the olive.
Example conversation
Koa and Malia are sharing a snack.
- KoaHe aha kēia mea?What is this thing?
- MaliaHe ʻoliwa kēlā, Koa.That is an olive, Koa.
- KoaHe ʻono paha kēia?Is this perhaps tasty?
- MaliaʻAe, he ʻono ka ʻoliwa.Yes, the olive is tasty.
