Maori
noun
Mao·riˈmau̇(-ə)r-ē 
plural Maori or Maoris
1
:a member of a Polynesian people native to New Zealand
2
:the Polynesian language of the Maori people
Examples ofMaori in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebFor theMaori, for example, in New Zealand, humans are lowest on the totem pole of the natural world, says Meghan Robinson, a Ph.D. student at the University of British Columbia who is completing her doctoral research on the Rights of Nature.—
India Nye Wenner,Rolling Stone, 22 Apr. 2025The rare sighting, captured on video off the coast of New Zealand and shared by scientists affiliated with the University of Auckland, shows aMaorioctopus riding on top of a mako shark, which is the fastest in the world with the ability to swim up to 46 mph.—Brie Stimson,Fox News, 22 Mar. 2025The intrepid rider was aMaorioctopus—the largest octopus in the Southern Hemisphere.—Sara Hashemi,Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Mar. 2025For many, the All Blacks are well-known for performing an intimidating pregame haka dance, aMaoriritual used to fire up the players and fans before a match.—Robert Channick,Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2025See All Example Sentences forMaori
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage.Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.Send us feedback.
India Nye Wenner,Rolling Stone, 22 Apr. 2025The rare sighting, captured on video off the coast of New Zealand and shared by scientists affiliated with the University of Auckland, shows aMaorioctopus riding on top of a mako shark, which is the fastest in the world with the ability to swim up to 46 mph.—Brie Stimson,Fox News, 22 Mar. 2025The intrepid rider was aMaorioctopus—the largest octopus in the Southern Hemisphere.—Sara Hashemi,Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Mar. 2025For many, the All Blacks are well-known for performing an intimidating pregame haka dance, aMaoriritual used to fire up the players and fans before a match.—Robert Channick,Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2025See All Example Sentences forMaoriWord History
Etymology
Maorimāori, literally, normal, ordinary
First Known Use
1828, in the meaning defined atsense 2
Rhymes forMaori
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Cite this Entry
“Maori.”Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Maori. Accessed 10 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Maori
nounMao·riˈmau̇(ə)r-ē
plural Maori or Maoris
1
:a member of an Indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand
2
:the language of the Maori
More from Merriam-Webster onMaori
Britannica.com:Encyclopedia article aboutMaori
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