Kauai
/kaʊˈaɪ/noun
The fourth-largest Hawaiian island, known for its lush landscapes and rugged coastline.
Did you know?Kauaʻi is a genuine Hawaiian proper noun, and like many Polynesian place-names, its exact origin is traditionally preserved in oral history rather than a neat one-word English-style translation.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Polynesian
PPN
*saualiʻi
“Ancestral form proposed by some scholars for a noble or important place/person, though the island name’s ultimate origin is not securely established”
Ancient Hawaiian
Hawaiian
Kauaʻi
“The island of Kauaʻi; a sacred and storied place name in Hawaiian tradition”
18th Century
English
Kauai
“A European spelling of the Hawaiian island name, adapted into English maps and travel accounts”
Modern English
English
Kauai
“The standard English form of the Hawaiian island name”