Tiki
/ˈtiː.kiː/noun
A carved Polynesian figure, especially one representing an ancestor or deity, or a style associated with Polynesian-inspired art and culture.
Did you know?In Māori tradition, the hei-tiki—a pendant depicting a human figure—was worn as a treasured ancestral object, though its exact original symbolism remains debated.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Polynesian
Proto-Polynesian
*tiki
“Reconstructed term for an image, figure, or carved representation”
Ancient Polynesian period
Proto-Polynesian
*tiki
“A carved human or supernatural figure used in Polynesian artistic and religious traditions”
Pre-European era
Māori
tiki
“A carved human figure; also associated with the hei-tiki pendant”
Pre-European era
Tahitian
tiʻi
“A carved image or figure, often connected with supernatural beings”
19th Century
Hawaiian
kiʻi
“An image, statue, or representation; a related Polynesian form”
20th Century
English
tiki
“A Polynesian-style carved figure, later extended to a commercial aesthetic involving bars, restaurants, and décor”