pandanus

noun

pan·​da·​nus pan-ˈdā-nəs How to pronounce pandanus (audio) -ˈda- How to pronounce pandanus (audio)
plural pandani pan-ˈdā-(ˌ)nī How to pronounce pandanus (audio)
-ˈda-
: screw pine
also : a fiber made from screw-pine leaves and used for woven products (such as mats)

Examples of pandanus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The tradition of weaving the lau (leaves) from the hala (pandanus) tree was brought to the Aloha State when the first Polynesian settlers arrived in canoes with sails fashioned from the material, according to some historians. Sarah Sekula, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 June 2023 For his modern-day take, Marzan used pandanus, a type of palm-like pine leaf. Sarah Sekula, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 June 2023 Its handful of houses hide behind a dune covered with morning glories and pandanus trees, the chitter of cicadas interrupted only by the cadence of waves and the call of an azure-winged jay. New York Times, 13 Oct. 2021 Several hiking trails traverse through dense flora—stands of guava, coconut, and breadfruit trees and the largest pandanus grove in Hawaii—and pass natural and cultural attractions like rocky coves, ruins, a haiau (or temple), blowholes, and jagged rock arches. Alison Van Houten, Outside Online, 6 June 2019 Photographed by Katrin Koenning All the woven works start with the pandanus leaves (gunga)—specifically in the gathering, preparing and dying of these leaves. Megha Kapoor, Vogue, 8 Mar. 2023 Essentially a chiffon cake, it’s infused with green-colored juice from the pandanus palm, an ingredient as common as salt in Southeast Asian cooking. Zoe Li, CNN, 5 Mar. 2023 What made this particular canoe so special was the fact that its sail was traditional, meaning it was woven from pandanus leaves by the women of Lamotrek. Julian Aguon, The Atlantic, 1 Nov. 2021 But in 2014, two strong typhoons washed away the beach and uprooted the pandanus trees that protected the village. New York Times, 13 Oct. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pandanus.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, genus name, from Malay pandan screw pine

First Known Use

1830, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pandanus was in 1830

Dictionary Entries Near pandanus

Cite this Entry

“Pandanus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pandanus. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

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