moa

See also: Appendix:Variations of "moa"

Languages (26)

Translingual • English

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Akan • 'Are'are • Betawi • Dutch • Finnish • Galician • Hawaiian • Italian • Japanese • Māori • Niuean • Norwegian Bokmål • Norwegian Nynorsk • Old Irish • Polish • Portuguese • Rapa Nui • Samoan • Tabancale • Talysh • Tok Pisin • Tokelauan • Tongan • Vietnamese

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Page categories

Translingual

Etymology

Abbreviation of English Mouan.

Symbol

moa

1. (international standards) ISO 639-3 language code for Mwan.

See also

• Wiktionary’s coverage of Mwan terms

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Māori moa, from Proto-Polynesian *moa (“fowl”).

Pronunciation

• (New Zealand) IPA^(key): /ˈmɒʌ/, /ˈmoə/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈməʊə/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: (New Zealand) -oə, (UK) -əʊə

Noun

moa (plural moa or moas)

1. Any of several species of large, extinct, flightless birds of the family Dinornithidae that were native to New Zealand; until its extinction, one species was the largest bird in the world. [from 19th c.]
   • 2000, Errol Fuller, Extinct Birds, Oxford, page 29:

     The moas (order Dinornithiformes) of New Zealand are likewise extinct but almost certainly some still survived when Tasman first sighted the islands in 1642.

   • 2018 April 4, Hanneke Meijer, The Guardian‎^[1], archived from the original on 4 April 2018:

     For instance, the little bush moa fed nearly exclusively on forest vegetation, whereas the heavy-footed moa was a grazer in open vegetation habitats.

2. (Internet slang, uncommon) An extremely tall individual.

Derived terms

• broad-billed moa
• bush moa
• coastal moa
• crested moa
• eastern moa
• giant moa
• heavy-footed moa
• lesser moa
• little bush moa
• Mantell's moa
• Mappin's moa
• moa bed
• moalike
• moan
• moa-nalo
• moa stone
• North Island giant moa
• slender moa
• South Island giant moa
• stout-legged moa
• upland moa

Translations

extinct bird

• Arabic: مُوَّا f (muwwā)
• Assamese: মোৱা চৰাই (müa sorai)
• Catalan: dinornis m, moa (ca) m
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 恐鳥 / 恐鸟 (zh) (kǒngniǎo)

• Czech: moa
• Danish: moa
• Dutch: moa (nl)
• Finnish: moa (fi)
• Georgian: მოასნაირნი (moasnairni)
• German: Moa (de)
• Hebrew: מואה (he)
• Hungarian: moa (hu)
• Japanese: モア (ja) (moa)
• Korean: 모아 (moa)
• Lithuanian: moa
• Māori: moa, kuranui
• Navajo: naayééʼ tsídiitsoh
• Norwegian: moafugl
• Polish: moa (pl)
• Portuguese: moa (pt)
• Russian: мо́а (ru) f (móa)
• Spanish: dinornítido m, moa (es) m
• Swedish: moafågel (sv) c

Anagrams

• Amo., -oma, MAO, oma, Oma, Amo, AMO, mao, AOM, Mao

Akan

Verb

moa

1. (of hands) to clench

'Are'are

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /moa/
• Hyphenation: moa

Verb

moa

1. to vomit

References

• Naitoro, Kateřina (2013) A Sketch Grammar of 'Are'are: The Sound System and Morpho-Syntax (Thesis)‎^[2], Christchurch, New Zealand: University of Canterbury, archived from the original on 2017-11-28

Betawi

Etymology

Borrowed from Hokkien 鰻 / 鳗 (môa, “eel”).

Noun

moa

1. a kind of eel

   Synonym: lindung

Descendants

• → Indonesian: mua
• → Malay: mua

Further reading

• Batten, C. J. (1868), “Môa”, in De djoeroe basa Betawi: Eenvoudige Bataviaasch-Maleische woordenverzameling [The Betawi translator: A simple Batavian-Malay word collection] (in Dutch), Batavia: H. M. van Dorp, page 107
• Chaer, A. (2009) [1976], “moa'”, in Kamus dialek Jakarta [Dictionary of the Jakarta dialect], revised edition (in Indonesian), Depok: Masup Jakarta, →ISBN, page 288

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from English moa, from Māori moa, from Proto-Polynesian *moa.

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

moa m (plural moa's, no diminutive)

1. moa (extinct bird of the family †Dinornithidae)

Finnish

Etymology

From English moa, from Māori moa.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmo(ː)ɑ/, [ˈmo̞(ː)ɑ̝]
• Rhymes: -oɑ
• Syllabification^(key): mo‧a
• Hyphenation^(key): moa

Noun

moa

1. moa (large, extinct, flightless birds of the family †Dinornithidae that were native to New Zealand)

Declension

Inflection of moa (Kotus type 10/koira, no gradation)
nominative		moa	moat
genitive		moan	moien
partitive		moaa	moia
illative		moaan	moiin
		singular	plural
nominative		moa	moat
accusative	nom.	moa	moat
	gen.	moan
genitive		moan	moien moain rare
partitive		moaa	moia
inessive		moassa	moissa
elative		moasta	moista
illative		moaan	moiin
adessive		moalla	moilla
ablative		moalta	moilta
allative		moalle	moille
essive		moana	moina
translative		moaksi	moiksi
abessive		moatta	moitta
instructive		—	moin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of moa (Kotus type 10/koira, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative moani moani accusative nom. moani moani gen. moani genitive moani moieni moaini rare partitive moaani moiani inessive moassani moissani elative moastani moistani illative moaani moiini adessive moallani moillani ablative moaltani moiltani allative moalleni moilleni essive moanani moinani translative moakseni moikseni abessive moattani moittani instructive — — comitative — moineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative moasi moasi accusative nom. moasi moasi gen. moasi genitive moasi moiesi moaisi rare partitive moaasi moiasi inessive moassasi moissasi elative moastasi moistasi illative moaasi moiisi adessive moallasi moillasi ablative moaltasi moiltasi allative moallesi moillesi essive moanasi moinasi translative moaksesi moiksesi abessive moattasi moittasi instructive — — comitative — moinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative moamme moamme accusative nom. moamme moamme gen. moamme genitive moamme moiemme moaimme rare partitive moaamme moiamme inessive moassamme moissamme elative moastamme moistamme illative moaamme moiimme adessive moallamme moillamme ablative moaltamme moiltamme allative moallemme moillemme essive moanamme moinamme translative moaksemme moiksemme abessive moattamme moittamme instructive — — comitative — moinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative moanne moanne accusative nom. moanne moanne gen. moanne genitive moanne moienne moainne rare partitive moaanne moianne inessive moassanne moissanne elative moastanne moistanne illative moaanne moiinne adessive moallanne moillanne ablative moaltanne moiltanne allative moallenne moillenne essive moananne moinanne translative moaksenne moiksenne abessive moattanne moittanne instructive — — comitative — moinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative moansa moansa accusative nom. moansa moansa gen. moansa genitive moansa moiensa moainsa rare partitive moaansa moiaan moiansa inessive moassaan moassansa moissaan moissansa elative moastaan moastansa moistaan moistansa illative moaansa moiinsa adessive moallaan moallansa moillaan moillansa ablative moaltaan moaltansa moiltaan moiltansa allative moalleen moallensa moilleen moillensa essive moanaan moanansa moinaan moinansa translative moakseen moaksensa moikseen moiksensa abessive moattaan moattansa moittaan moittansa instructive — — comitative — moineen moinensa

Derived terms

compounds

• jättiläismoa

Anagrams

• oma

Galician

moas ("millstones") inside a traditional Galician mill

moa ("grindstone")

Etymology 1

From Medieval Galician proper moa, from Latin mola (“millstone”), from Proto-Indo-European *melh₂- (“to grind”). Cognate of Portuguese mó and of Spanish muela.

Alternative forms

• mó

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmɔa̝/

Noun

moa f (plural moas)

1. molar
2. runner millstone

   Synonym: capa

3. grindstone
   • 1448, X. Ferro Couselo, editor, A vida e a fala dos devanceiros, page 295:

     que lle quebrantaron duas moas de moer ferramenta, que sían armadas et encabalgadas

     that they broke two grindstones used for sharpening tools, that were framed and mounted

4. whetstone
5. heap
6. gizzard

Synonyms

• (molar): molar
• (millstone): capa, pedra
• (gizzard): moella

Derived terms

• A Mo
• A Moa
• moa do siso
• moa do xuízo
• Moas
• Moás

Related terms

• moer
• muíño

References

• Seoane, Ernesto Xosé González; Granja, María Álvarez de la; Agrelo, Ana Isabel Boullón (2006–2022), “moa”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios do galego medieval [Dictionary of dictionaries of Medieval Galician] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Santamarina, editor (2006–2013), “moa”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega [Dictionary of Dictionaries of the Galician language] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Santamarina, Ernesto X. González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, editors (2003–2018), “moa”, in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Rosario Álvarez Blanco, editor (2014–2024), “moa”, in Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega, →ISSN

Etymology 2

Verb

moa

1. (reintegrationist norm) inflection of moer:
   1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
   2. third-person singular imperative

Hawaiian

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *moa.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmo.a/, [ˈmo.wə]

Noun

moa

1. chicken or similar fowl

Derived terms

• moamoa (“care for”, verb)
• puʻupuʻu moa (“chicken pox”)

Further reading

• moa in Combined Hawaiian Dictionary, at trussel2.com.

Italian

Etymology

Borrowed from English moa, from Māori moa, from Proto-Polynesian *moa (“fowl”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmɔ.a/
• Rhymes: -ɔa
• Hyphenation: mò‧a

Noun

moa m (invariable)

1. moa

Further reading

• “moa”, in Vocabolario Treccani on line (in Italian), Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana, 2026

Anagrams

• -oma, amo, amò

Japanese

Romanization

moa

1. Rōmaji transcription of モア

Māori

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Polynesian *moa.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmoa/ [ˈmɔɐ]

Noun

moa

1. moa (†Dinornis)

Descendants

• → English: moa

Niuean

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *moa.

Noun

moa

1. chicken

References

• Wolfgang B. Sperlich, editor (1997), Tohi Vagahau Niue—Niue Language Dictionary‎^[3], Honolulu: University of Hawaiʻi Press, →ISBN, page 225

Norwegian Bokmål

Noun

moa m (definite singular moaen, indefinite plural moaer, definite plural moaene)

1. moa (large, extinct flightless bird of New Zealand)

Norwegian Nynorsk

Noun

moa m (definite singular moaen, indefinite plural moaer or moaar, definite plural moaene or moaane)

1. moa (large, extinct flightless bird of New Zealand)

Old Irish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmo.a/

Adjective

moa

1. alternative form of mó (comparative of mór (“big, great”))

Mutation

Mutation of moa

radical	lenition	nasalization
moa also mmoa in h-prothesis environments	moa pronounced with /β̃-/	moa also mmoa

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in Old Irish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Polish

moa

Etymology

Borrowed from English moa.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmɔ.a/
• Rhymes: -ɔa
• Syllabification: mo‧a
• Homophone: Moa

Noun

moa m animal (indeclinable)

1. moa (any ratite of the order Dinornithiformes)

Further reading

• “moa”, in Polish dictionaries at PWN‎^[4] (in Polish)
• moa in PWN's encyclopedia

Portuguese

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈmo.ɐ/

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈmo.ɐ/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈmo.ɐ/
  • (Northern Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈmo(w).ɐ/

• Hyphenation: mo‧a

Etymology 1

Noun

moa f (plural moas)

1. moa (large, extinct flightless bird of New Zealand)

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

moa

1. inflection of moer:
   1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
   2. third-person singular imperative

Further reading

• “moa”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “moa”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Rapa Nui

Te moa.

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *moa. Cognates include Hawaiian moa and Māori moa.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmo.a/
• Hyphenation: mo‧a

Noun

moa

1. chicken

Derived terms

• hare moa

References

• Paulus Kieviet (2017), A grammar of Rapa Nui‎^[5], Berlin: Language Science Press, →ISBN, page 29

Samoan

Etymology 1

From Proto-Polynesian *moa.

Noun

moa

1. chicken or similar fowl

Derived terms

• fuāmoa

Etymology 2

From Proto-Polynesian *moa₄ (compare with Tongan moa).

Moa faʻi

Noun

moa

1. banana blossom, flower at the end of its bunch.

References

• Milner, G.B. (1993), Samoan Dictionary, Auckland: Polynesian Press, →ISBN, page 146

Tabancale

Noun

moa

1. maize

References

• Matthias Urban (31 December 2024), Matthias Urban, editor, Small and extinct languages of Northern Peru‎^[6], 1 edition, Oxford University PressOxford, →DOI, →ISBN, pages 419–437

Talysh

Etymology

Cognate with Persian مادر (mâdar).

Noun

moa

1. mother

Tok Pisin

Etymology

From English more.

Adverb

moa

1. more

Tokelauan

Te moa (1).

Te moa (2).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈmo.a]
• Hyphenation: mo‧a

Etymology 1

From Proto-Polynesian *moa. Cognates include Hawaiian moa and Samoan moa.

Noun

moa

1. chicken

Etymology 2

From Proto-Nuclear Polynesian *moa. Cognates include Tahitian moa and Samoan moa.

Noun

moa

1. spinning top

References

• R. Simona, editor (1986), Tokelau Dictionary‎^[7], Auckland: Office of Tokelau Affairs, page 236

Tongan

Etymology 1

From Proto-Polynesian *moa.

Noun

moa

1. chicken

Etymology 2

From Proto-Polynesian *moa₄ (compare with Samoan moa).

Noun

moa

1. banana blossom, flower at the end of its bunch.

Vietnamese

Etymology

Borrowed from French moi (“me”).

Pronunciation

• (Hà Nội) IPA^(key): [mwaː˧˧]
• (Huế) IPA^(key): [mwaː˧˧]
• (Saigon) IPA^(key): [mwaː˧˧]

Pronoun

moa

1. (obsolete, sometimes humorous, originally towards a French speaker) I; me

   Coordinate term: toa

See also

• ngộ/nị (towards a Cantonese speaker)
• hoá/lứ (towards a Teochew speaker)