Lanai
/ləˈnaɪ/noun
A roofed, often open-sided porch or veranda, especially in Hawaii and other tropical regions.
Did you know?The English architectural term comes from Lānaʻi, the name of a Hawaiian island, although the exact historical path from the island’s name to the architectural noun is not fully certain.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-contact Hawaiian
Hawaiian
Lānaʻi
“The name of one of the Hawaiian Islands; its deeper derivation is uncertain.”
18th–19th Century
Hawaiian
lānai
“A Hawaiian term associated with an open-sided porch or veranda.”
19th Century
English
lanai
“An open-sided veranda or porch, adopted from Hawaiian usage.”
20th Century
American English
lanai
“A covered outdoor living area, especially in Hawaiian and tropical architecture.”
Modern English
English
lanai
“A roofed porch or veranda, commonly associated with resort and tropical homes.”