Kiele
/ˈkiː.ə.leɪ/noun
A fragrant Hawaiian flower, especially the flower of a native gardenia.
Did you know?Kiele flowers were traditionally used in Hawaiian lei-making and perfumery, linking the word to cultural practices of beauty, welcome, and ceremony.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-contact Hawaiʻi
Hawaiian
kiele
“Name for a fragrant native flower, especially a gardenia”
18th–19th Century
Hawaiian
kiele
“Flower used in lei-making and scenting”
19th Century
English
kiele
“Borrowed Hawaiian name for the flower”
Late 19th–Early 20th Century
English
kiele
“A fragrant Hawaiian flower or gardenia”
Modern English
English
kiele
“An English botanical and cultural loanword referring to a Hawaiian flower”