Lei
/leɪ/noun
A lei is a garland, especially one of flowers, traditionally worn in Hawaiʻi, or the plural of the Romanian monetary unit leu.
Did you know?In Hawaiian tradition, a lei is not casually tossed away; disposing of one respectfully has been associated with returning its natural materials to the earth.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Polynesian
Proto-Polynesian
*lei
“Garland, wreath, or ornament worn around the neck”
Pre-European Hawaiʻi
Hawaiian
lei
“A garland or necklace made from flowers, leaves, shells, feathers, or other materials”
18th–19th Century
Hawaiian/English
lei
“A Hawaiian garland adopted into English through exploration, travel, and cultural exchange”
Modern English
English
lei
“A flower or decorative garland, especially one associated with Hawaiʻi”
Latin antiquity
Latin
leo
“Lion; the source of Romanian leu and its plural lei”
17th–19th Century
Romanian
lei
“Plural of leu, a monetary unit whose name means “lion,” ultimately connected with the lion emblem on historical coins”