Hawaiian
noun
Ha·wai·ian
hə-ˈwä-yən 
-ˈwī-(y)ən,
-ˈwȯ-yən
1
: a native or resident of Hawaii
especially
: one of Polynesian ancestry
Note: In Hawaii, the word Hawaiian is understood as an ethnic designation for a native person of Polynesian descent, and its use in the more general sense "a resident of Hawaii" is considered an error.
2
: the Polynesian language of the Hawaiians
Hawaiian
adjective
Examples of Hawaiian in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
To help grab the attention of viewers, the studio partnered with Heinz for Deadpool, Airbnb for Inside Out 2, Hawaiian Airlines for Moana 2 and Spam, 10 million cans of it, for Lilo.
—
Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 13 June 2025
Wednesday, June 25, Hawaiian Chicken, brown rice, corn, tropical fruit, milk.
—Ramona Sentinel, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 June 2025
The mosquito, Aedes aegypti, was initially introduced to the Hawaiian Islands sometime after 1882 by whaling ships, so any ecological role these insects may fill either as prey or pollinators is a recent development.
—Grrlscientist, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
Chris, who’s Hawaiian, made a really important observation about the original early on in our discussions.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for Hawaiian
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Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 13 June 2025
Wednesday, June 25, Hawaiian Chicken, brown rice, corn, tropical fruit, milk.
—Ramona Sentinel, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 June 2025
The mosquito, Aedes aegypti, was initially introduced to the Hawaiian Islands sometime after 1882 by whaling ships, so any ecological role these insects may fill either as prey or pollinators is a recent development.
—Grrlscientist, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
Chris, who’s Hawaiian, made a really important observation about the original early on in our discussions.
—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 7 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for Hawaiian
Cite this Entry
“Hawaiian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Hawaiian. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Hawaiian
noun
Ha·wai·ian
hə-ˈwä-yən
-ˈwī(y)ən,
-ˈwȯ-yən
1
: a person born or living in Hawaii
especially
: one of Polynesian ancestry
2
: the Polynesian language of the Hawaiians
Hawaiian
adjective
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