kiawe

[ kee-ah-vey ]

noun

1. a thorny tree, Prosopis juliflora, of the legume family, native to South America and widely naturalized in Hawaii.

Word History and Origins

Origin of kiawe¹

From Hawaiian

Example Sentences

The word means “to turn,” as in the turning of the chicken over burning kiawe wood — but also as in the turning of old systems into new ones, of shifting and rejecting the status quo.

From Washington Post

The committee has worked on 11 plant species, two tree pathogens, coqui frogs, little fire ants and other high-priority pest species, and have made strides toward controlling long-thorn kiawe and miconia, The Garden Island reported.

From Washington Times

Long-thorn Kiawe is a thorny shrub or small tree native to Central and South America, that has been listed on the Hawaii State Noxious Weeds list.

From Washington Times

“Long-thorn kiawe is armed with much larger, sharp thorns, up to 3 inches long, that can easily penetrate a truck tire,” Project Manager Tiffani Keanini said, adding that it looks similar to the more common kiawe found on the island.

From Washington Times

Cords of kiawe, a Hawaiian hardwood, arrive weekly; Mr. Keao uses it to smoke fish, meat and vegetables.

From New York Times