lavalava

or la·va-la·va

[ lah-vuh-lah-vuh ]

noun

1. the principal garment in Polynesia, especially in Samoa, consisting of a piece of printed cloth worn as a loincloth or skirt.

Word History and Origins

Origin of lavalava¹

First recorded in 1890–95; from Samoan: “clothing”

Example Sentences

He was dressed in a dark coat and lavalava and white shirt, and looked very swagger indeed.

From Project Gutenberg

And then how they marched up here, every man in a new black lavalava, some forty strong, to decorate the grave?

From Project Gutenberg