Moriori
noun
Mo·ri·o·ri
ˌmȯr-ē-ˈȯr-ē 
plural Moriori or Morioris
1
: a member of a Polynesian people native to the Chatham Islands of New Zealand
2
: the Polynesian language of the Moriori people
Examples of Moriori in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Having fled many conflicts on Aotearoa, the Moriori adopted a social code known as Nunuku’s Law, which established a society of non-violence, communal decision making and resource management.
—
Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2025
Ancestors of the Rēkohu Shelduck arrived on the islands 390,000 years ago, and went extinct after Moriori settlement around 1500.
—Grrlscientist, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Māori and Moriori believe this return to their homelands will restore dignity to both the dead people and their living descendants.
—Lianne Kolirin, CNN, 14 June 2023
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.
Literary Hub, 21 Oct. 2025
Ancestors of the Rēkohu Shelduck arrived on the islands 390,000 years ago, and went extinct after Moriori settlement around 1500.
—Grrlscientist, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Māori and Moriori believe this return to their homelands will restore dignity to both the dead people and their living descendants.
—Lianne Kolirin, CNN, 14 June 2023
Cite this Entry
“Moriori.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Moriori. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
