pareu

noun

pa·​reu ˈpär-ā-(ˌ)ü How to pronounce pareu (audio)
variants or pareo
: a wraparound skirt usually made from a rectangular piece of printed cloth and worn by men and women throughout Polynesia

Examples of pareu in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Before Matthias left France, a tattoo artist made an exception to tattoo the young boy's arm with the depiction of a kneeling Tahitian woman wearing a flower pareu (pareo) and crown. Terry Ward, CNN, 24 Dec. 2021 At the one-of-a-kind Deep Ocean Spa, the first thalassotherapy center in French Polynesia, you’re given a pareu and flip-flops as an alternative to the staid robe and slippers. Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Oct. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pareu.' 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

Tahitian

First Known Use

1850, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pareu was in 1850

Dictionary Entries Near pareu

Cite this Entry

“Pareu.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pareu. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!