hula

American

[hoo-luh] / ˈhu lə /

noun

a sinuous Hawaiian dance with intricate arm movements that tell a story in pantomime, usually danced to rhythmic drumming and accompanied by chanting.

hula British

/ ˈhuːlə /

noun

a Hawaiian dance performed by a woman

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of hula

Borrowed into English from Hawaiian around 1815–25

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

hula

At a recent Hawaiian-themed wedding in Sausalito, Calif., most guests arrived in Hawaiian shirts and hula skirts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

Joan Anderson, who coined the name for the hula hoop and played an unsung role in its rise, has died age 101.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2025

As the torches of the Old Lahaina Luau flicker, bartenders mix mai tais and hula dancers get ready.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2024

He reveals that he sprained it while hula hooping and he even shows photos.

From Salon ● Dec. 14, 2023

Gracie pushes soda cans into a cooler of ice, then gives a little hula shake.

From "The House That Lou Built" by Mae Respicio

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023