poi

[ poi, poh-ee ]

noun

1. a Hawaiian dish made of the root of the taro baked, pounded, moistened, and fermented.

poi

¹

/ pɔɪ /

noun

1. a ball of woven flax swung rhythmically in poi dances

poi

²

/ ˈpəʊɪ; pɔɪ /

noun

1. a Hawaiian dish made of the root of the taro baked, pounded to a paste, and fermented

Word History and Origins

Origin of poi¹

Borrowed into English from Hawaiian around 1815–25

Word History and Origins

Origin of poi¹

Māori

Origin of poi²

C19: from Hawaiian

Example Sentences

He now pounds poi in the traditional way, foremost to set an example for his three sons, part of the next generation of stewards for the Hawaiian culture.

From Salon

When you think of taro, you'll likely first think of poi — the dish is popular in Hawaii and the Philippines, but it's very polarizing.

From Salon

I ate sea cucumbers and natto in Japan, poi in Hawaii, and morcilla when I lived in Madrid as a young adult.

From Salon

"The traditional thing people did with taro was make poi, and not everybody knows how to do that," he says, explaining that in the modern-era of city living, traditional cooking knowledge has been lost.

From Salon

Some also need to send poi - a purple glutinous dish made from taro - each week to markets throughout Hawaii.

From Washington Times