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weka

American  
[wey-kuh, wee-] / ˈweɪ kə, ˈwi- /

noun

  1. any of several large, flightless New Zealand rails of the genus Gallirallus.


weka British  
/ ˈweɪkə, ˈwiːkə /

noun

  1. Also: Māori hen.   wood hen.  any flightless New Zealand rail of the genus Gallirallus, having a mottled brown plumage and rudimentary wings

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of weka

Borrowed into English from Maori around 1835–45

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The bird, a weka, has become extinct over large parts of New Zealand- and is a fully protected species.

From BBC • Jul. 23, 2024

An iconic large flightless bird, the weka is famous for its feisty and curious personality.

From BBC • Jul. 23, 2024

When we went ashore one afternoon to talk about changing the crews, a flightless bird called a weka wandered out of the woods and started foraging on the beach.

From Washington Post • Mar. 22, 2018

The weka, or wood-hen, with rudimentary wings like tufts of brown feathers, whose odd, inquisitive ways introduce it so constantly to the shepherd and bushman, at first preyed upon the young rabbits and throve.

From The Long White Cloud by Reeves, William Pember

Soon there will be a rustle, then a rush, and another furious weka will attack the decoy.

From The Home of the Blizzard Being the Story of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition, 1911-1914 by Mawson, Douglas, Sir