kauri

[ kou-ree ]

noun

, plural kau·ris.

1. Also kauri pine. a tall, coniferous tree, Agathis australis, of New Zealand, yielding a valuable timber and a resin.
2. the wood of this tree.
3. any of various other trees of the genus Agathis.
4. kauri resin.

kauri

/ ˈkaʊrɪ /

noun

1. a New Zealand coniferous tree, Agathis australis, with oval leaves and round cones: family Araucariaceae
2. the wood or resin of this tree

Word History and Origins

Origin of kauri¹

Borrowed into English from Maori around 1815–25

Word History and Origins

Origin of kauri¹

C19: Māori

Example Sentences

The beach abuts Noosa National Park, where we’d spent many mornings over the years walking the trails and breathing the rainforest smells of hoop and kauri pine.

From Time

The country’s swampy bogs preserve the relics of kauri trees dating as far back as the Laschamps excursion.

From Science News

Named after the Maori forest god, the largest living kauri has stretched to 167 feet in height in its 1200-plus years.

From The Daily Beast

He could not find an individual so enterprising as to venture to deal in a cargo of Kauri gum after his fashion.

From Project Gutenberg

The sides were made out of one wide plank of Kauri pine without a join.

From Project Gutenberg

As she was to call at New Zealand to get some kauri spars, five Maoris went with her, working their passage over.

From Project Gutenberg

The British slept that night without tents round fires of kauri gum, but next morning all was astir for the attack.

From Project Gutenberg

Besides flax, it was found that New Zealand produced most excellent timber--the kauri pine.

From Project Gutenberg