Matarī
/ˈma.taː.ɾiː/noun
A Polynesian name associated with the Pleiades star cluster, especially in Māori and related traditions.
Did you know?The related Māori name Matariki became especially important in Aotearoa because the cluster’s pre-dawn appearance traditionally signaled the Māori New Year and the cycle of remembrance, planning, and renewal.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Polynesian
Proto-Polynesian
*mata
“Eye, face, or point of view; a term used in celestial names for visible star-like points.”
Proto-Polynesian
Proto-Polynesian
*tali / *riki
“Forms associated in Polynesian naming traditions with smallness, youth, or distinction; exact analysis of Matarī varies by language.”
Ancient Polynesian period
Polynesian
Matarī
“A traditional celestial name associated with the Pleiades or a prominent star group.”
Traditional Māori usage
Māori
Matarī
“A recorded Polynesian/Māori star name, related to the better-known Matariki tradition.”
Modern English usage
English
Matarī
“A loanword or proper name used in discussions of Polynesian astronomy and star lore.”