poi

noun

ˈpȯi 

plural poi or pois

: a Hawaiian food prepared from the cooked corms of taro that are mashed with water to the consistency of a paste or thick liquid and often allowed to ferment

Examples of poi in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Stroll along postcard-perfect Waikiki Beach to admire the hula dancers and poi spinners, or take a dip in the warm water, which hovers around 77 degrees in the winter and 82 degrees in the summer. — Sunset Magazine, 21 Mar. 2020

Taro farmers across the islands have sent poi to feed the protesters, in solidarity. — Ligaya Mishan, New York Times, 8 Nov. 2019

Pre-show activities include grinding taro root (the chief ingredient in poi), making bracelets from fresh flowers, and getting temporary tattoos. — Arthur Levine, USA TODAY, 8 June 2018

The perfect taro is heavy and dense and mashes into smooth poi. — Washington Post, 28 May 2018

Dinner is a pig roast, roasted pineapple, Hawaiian poi and tuna poke. — Kathy Flanigan, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 10 May 2018

Word History

Etymology

Hawaiian & Samoan

First Known Use

1782, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

poi

noun

ˈpȯi 

plural poi or pois

: a Hawaiian food made of cooked taro root pounded to a paste and often fermented