moa
|mo-a|
C1
🇺🇸
/ˈmoʊə/
🇬🇧
/ˈməʊə/
extinct New Zealand giant flightless bird
Etymology
Etymology Information
'moa' originates from Māori, specifically the word 'moa', where 'moa' meant 'chicken' or 'domestic fowl'.
Historical Evolution
'moa' was adopted into English in the late 18th to early 19th century from Māori 'moa' when European naturalists named the large, flightless birds they found in New Zealand.
Meaning Changes
Initially, it meant 'chicken' or 'domestic fowl' in Māori, but in English it came to refer specifically to the large extinct flightless birds of New Zealand.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
any of several extinct large flightless birds of the order Dinornithiformes that were native to New Zealand.
A moa once inhabited New Zealand's forests and grasslands.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/25 21:21