mauka

[ mou-kuh, mah-oo-kuh ]

adverb

, Hawaii.

1. toward the mountains; inland.

Word History and Origins

Origin of mauka¹

< Hawaiian, equivalent to ma- directional particle + uka inland, upland

Example Sentences

The Mililani Mauka fire — named after the area near where the fire began — burned in the Koolau mountains.

From Seattle Times

Herman Andaya had said this week that he had no regrets about not deploying the system because he feared it could have caused people to go “mauka,” a Hawaiian term that can mean toward the mountains or inland.

From Washington Times

Herman Andaya had said this week that he had no regrets about not deploying the system because he feared it could have caused people to go “mauka,” a Hawaiian term that can mean toward the mountains or inland.

From Seattle Times

Andaya had said he feared blaring the sirens during the blaze could have caused people to go “mauka,” using a navigational term that can mean toward the mountains or inland in Hawaiian.

From Seattle Times

“We were afraid that people would have gone mauka,” Andaya said, using a Hawaiian word that means inland or toward the mountain.

From Washington Times