iiwi

or 'i·'i·wi

[ ee-ee-wee ]

noun

1. a Hawaiian honeycreeper, Vestiaria coccinea, having a red body, black wings, and a deeply curved pinkish-red bill.

Word History and Origins

Origin of iiwi¹

First recorded 1885–90; from Hawaiian ʿiʿiwi, derivative of ʿiwi “reddish;” compare earlier eeeeve (1779)

Example Sentences

They include iiwi and elepaio birds, a tree snail called pupu kani oe and the Hawaiian hoary bat, also known as opeapea.

From Seattle Times

Maile Asuncion, 9, drew a red iiwi, also known as a scarlet honeycreeper.

From Seattle Times

A petition is asking for the iiwi to be listed as endangered, too, said co-author Lisa Crampton, a wildlife ecologist and conservation biologist who is also coordinator for the Kauai Forest Bird Recovery Project.

From Washington Times

A petition is asking for the iiwi to be listed as endangered, too, said co-author Lisa Crampton, a wildlife ecologist and conservation biologist who is also coordinator for the Kauai Forest Bird Recovery Project.

From US News

The biologists also found that the iiwi bird, which lives at high elevations, is most susceptible to the changes.

From Washington Times