Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

Filters

Idioms

Phrases

Proverbs

Loan words

Historical loan words

kairau

1. (noun) prostitute, courtesan, loose woman, slut, whore, harlot, call girl.

Ko koutou ia, awhi mai ki konei, e ngā tama a te wahine mākutu, e ngā uri o te tangata pūremu, o te wahine kairau (PT Ihāia 57:3). / But you, draw near, the sons of the sorceress, the descendants of the adulterer and the whore.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: kaikairau, karihika, kaimahi kairau


2. (noun) halfback (rugby), scrum half.

whare kairau

1. (noun) brothel.

Mahi ngātahi ana rātou ko ngā pirihimana ki te tirotiro haere i ngā wāpu me ngā whare kairau (TTR 2000:221). / She and the police worked together to visit wharves and brothels.

Show example

Hide example

kaimahi kairau

1. (noun) sex worker.

He wahine irawhiti, he kaiwhakangahau para huarahi hou a Carmen Rupe, he tuakiri tōna i aro nuitia, he kaimahi kairau, he tipua ia nō te hunga LGBTIQ+ i whakanuia. (Townsend, 2018) / Carmen Rupe was a trailblazing transgender woman and entertainer, a larger-than-life personality, sex worker, and celebrated LGBTIQ+ icon.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: kairau, karihika, kaikairau

mahi kairau

1. (noun) sex work.

I tīmata anō tana whakamātau kia utua ia mō ngā mahi kairau i te tūponotanga ki tētahi kaipakihi tāne Ingarihi, nāna nei i whakarite ētahi kiritaki utu e rua, e toru i te wiki. (Townsend, 2018) / She also began experimenting with paid sex work after a chance meeting with an English businessman, who arranged two or three paying clients per week.

Show example

Hide example

Synonyms: kairautanga

Te Kākano 3rd Edition

New edition of the leading Māori-language textbook out now.

More info

The App

Te Aka Māori Dictionary is also available as an iOS and Android app. Download below.

iOS Android

The Book

Te Aka Māori-English, English-Māori Dictionary and Index by John C Moorfield comprises a selection of modern and everyday language that will be extremely useful for learners of the Māori language.

More info

He Pātaka Kupu

Te kai a te rangatira

He Pātaka Kupu is a monolingual Māori language dictionary, and was designed using its own culturally authentic terms.

Visit website

00:00