Matariki
English
edit
Etymology
editBorrowed from Maori Matariki, in turn derived from Proto-Eastern Polynesian *matafiti, Proto-Eastern Polynesian *matasiti
One Maori folk etymology claims it represents ngā + mata + o + te + ariki + o + Tāwhirimātea, meaning "the eyes of the [wind] god Tāwhirimātea". In Māori legend, the Pleiades star cluster which it is named after was from Tāwhirimātea's plucked eyes.
Cognate with Hawaiian makahiki.
Proper noun
editMatariki
Maori
editEtymology
editFrom Proto-Eastern Polynesian *matafiti, Proto-Eastern Polynesian *matasiti.
One Maori folk etymology claims it represents ngā + mata + o + te + ariki + o + Tāwhirimātea, meaning "the eyes of the [wind] god Tāwhirimātea". In Māori legend, the Pleiades star cluster which it is named after was from Tāwhirimātea's plucked eyes.
Cognate with Hawaiian makahiki.
Proper noun
editMatariki
- The season, in late May or early June, when the Pleiades star cluster first rises, treated as the beginning of the new year by the Maori.
Descendants
edit- → English: Matariki
- English terms borrowed from Maori
- English terms derived from Maori
- English terms derived from Proto-Eastern Polynesian
- English lemmas
- English proper nouns
- English uncountable nouns
- en:Holidays
- en:Maori mythology
- en:New Zealand
- Maori terms inherited from Proto-Eastern Polynesian
- Maori terms derived from Proto-Eastern Polynesian
- Maori lemmas
- Maori proper nouns
- mi:Holidays
- mi:Maori mythology