Hawaiian

American  

[huh-wahy-uhn, -wah-yuhn] / həˈwaɪ ən, -ˈwɑ yən /

adjective

1. of or relating to Hawaii or the Hawaiian Islands.

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noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Hawaii or the Hawaiian Islands.

2. the aboriginal language of Hawaii, a Polynesian language.

Hawaiian British  

/ həˈwaɪən /

adjective

1. of or relating to Hawaii, its people, or their language

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noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Hawaii, esp one descended from Melanesian or Tahitian immigrants

2. a language of Hawaii belonging to the Malayo-Polynesian family

Etymology

Origin of Hawaiian

First recorded in 1815–25; Hawaii + -an

Compare meaning

How does hawaiian compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Polynesian vs. Hawaiian

Example Sentences

He then urged his fellow Hawaiians to check in on their local communities and do what they can to support their neighbors.

From MarketWatch

Alaska is still working out its acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines, completed in 2024.

From MarketWatch

The island is the grip of a "Kona Low", a slow-moving area of low pressure that pulls in warm, moisture-rich air across the Hawaiian islands, bringing heavy rain and flash flooding.

From BBC

Thursday night’s storm was the second to affect the Hawaiian islands in a week, said Stephen Parker, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service.

From The Wall Street Journal

Norris reportedly fell ill on Thursday on the Hawaiian island of Kauai.

From Barron's