pakeha

noun

pa·​ke·​ha ˈpä-kə-ˌhä How to pronounce pakeha (audio) ˈpa-kē-ə How to pronounce pakeha (audio)
plural pakeha or pakehas
often capitalized
chiefly New Zealand
: a person who is not of Maori descent
especially : a white person

Examples of pakeha in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Waititi noted that pakehas were the ones most likely to complain about his depiction of Maori life. Dan Kois, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2017

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

Maori

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pakeha was in 1817

Dictionary Entries Near pakeha

Cite this Entry

“Pakeha.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pakeha. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.

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