aloha
See also: Aloha
English
Etymology
Borrowed from Hawaiian aloha (“love”), from Proto-Polynesian *qarofa. Doublet of aroha and aropa.
Pronunciation
- (UK) enPR: ə-lō’-(h)ə, IPA(key): /əˈləʊ.(h)ə/
Audio (Southern England) (file) - (US) enPR: ə-lō’-hä, ə-lō’-ə, IPA(key): /əˈloʊˌhɑ/, /əˈloʊ.ə/
- Rhymes: -əʊhɑː, -əʊhə, -əʊə
Noun
aloha (plural alohas)
- (Hawaii) Good wishes, love. [from 19th c.]
- 2012, Julia Flynn Siler, Lost Kingdom, Grove Press, p. 91:
- Traveling as the princess regent with a retinue that included Princess Ruth and Queen Kapi‘olani, Lili‘u was welcomed by enormous crowds and lavish outpourings of aloha, as her subjects clasped her knees and kissed her hands and feet to show their reverence.
- 2012, Julia Flynn Siler, Lost Kingdom, Grove Press, p. 91:
- (Hawaii) An utterance of aloha (see Interjection, below). [from 19th c.]
Derived terms
- aloha shirt
- aloha spirit
- Aloha State
Interjection
aloha
- (chiefly Hawaii) Expressing good wishes when greeting or parting from someone; hello; goodbye. [from 19th c.]
Translations
hello — see hello
goodbye — see goodbye
Further reading
- aloha at OneLook Dictionary Search
Anagrams
- Ahola
Hawaiian
Etymology
From Proto-Polynesian *qarofa, from Proto-Oceanic *qalopan, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *qaləpan, from Proto-Austronesian *qaləpan, from *qaləp (“to beckon, wave”). Cognate with Maori aroha.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /aˈlo.ha/, [əˈlohə]
Interjection
aloha
- hello, greetings
- goodbye, farewell
Synonyms
- welina
Derived terms
- aloha kakahiaka
- aloha awakea
- aloha ʻauinalā
- aloha ahiahi
Descendants
- → English: aloha
Noun
aloha
- love, compassion, affection, mercy, sympathy, pity, kindness, sentiment, grace, charity
- greeting, salutation, regards
- sweetheart, lover, loved one
Verb
aloha
- (transitive) to love, be fond of
- (transitive) to show kindness, mercy, pity, charity, affection
- (transitive) to venerate
- (transitive) to remember with affection
- (transitive) to greet, hail
- (stative) to be loving, kind
- (stative) beloved, loving, kind, compassionate, charitable, lovable
Further reading
- Pukui, Mary Kawena; Elbert, Samuel H. (1986), “aloha”, in Hawaiian Dictionary, revised & enlarged edition, Honolulu, HI: University of Hawai'i Press, →ISBN