Wāhine
/ˈwaː.hi.ne/noun
The Māori plural of wahine, meaning women or wives, depending on context.
Did you know?Wāhine is plural, while wahine is singular; the macron over ā marks a long vowel and can distinguish meaning or pronunciation in Māori.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Polynesian
PPN
*fafine
“Woman or female”
Proto-Eastern Polynesian
PEP
*fafine
“Woman; female”
Early Māori
Māori
wahine
“Woman, wife, or female”
Modern Māori
Māori
wāhine
“Women; the plural form of wahine”
Modern English
English
wāhine
“A Māori loanword used in English contexts for Māori or Polynesian women”