Kaimoana
/ˌkaɪ.mɔːˈɑː.nə/noun
Seafood or food obtained from the sea, especially in Māori and New Zealand English contexts.
Did you know?Māori food traditions distinguish kaimoana from ordinary food, reflecting the cultural and spiritual importance of the ocean and its guardianship, or kaitiakitanga.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Polynesian
Proto-Polynesian
*kai
“Food; to eat”
Proto-Polynesian
Proto-Polynesian
*moana
“Open sea or ocean”
Pre-European Māori
Māori
kai moana
“Food from the sea; seafood”
19th Century
Māori
kaimoana
“Seafood, commonly written as a single compound”
Modern English
New Zealand English
kaimoana
“Seafood, particularly in Māori cultural or culinary contexts”