# Hawaiian

/həˈwaɪən/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hawaiian
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. related to Hawaii

adjective · CEFR A2

relating to the islands, culture, or people of Hawaii.

For teachers: pertaining to the Hawaiian Islands, their indigenous culture, or the modern U.S. state of Hawaii.

- We enjoyed listening to traditional Hawaiian music during our holiday.
- The museum features an extensive collection of Hawaiian artifacts that predate European contact by several centuries.

Usage: Capitalized in all uses.

### 2. a person from Hawaii

noun · CEFR B1

a person who is from Hawaii, especially someone whose ancestors lived there for a long time.

For teachers: a native or inhabitant of Hawaii; specifically, a person of Polynesian descent whose ancestors inhabited the islands before 1778.

- She is a proud Hawaiian who teaches the traditional hula dance.
- Many Hawaiians are working to preserve their ancestral lands and cultural traditions for future generations.

Teaching tip: In a strict sense, 'Hawaiian' refers to ethnic Polynesians; residents of other backgrounds are often called 'Hawaii residents'.

### 3. the language

noun · CEFR B2

the traditional language spoken by the people of Hawaii.

For teachers: the Polynesian language spoken by the indigenous people of the Hawaiian Islands.

- He decided to learn Hawaiian to better understand the local songs.
- The school offers immersion programs where students study all subjects exclusively in Hawaiian.

Usage: Uncountable when referring to the language.

### 4. pizza style

noun · CEFR A2 · Informal

a type of pizza that has ham and pineapple on top.

For teachers: a style of pizza characterized by the inclusion of ham and pineapple as toppings.

- We ordered a large Hawaiian because the kids love pineapple on their pizza.
- The debate over whether a Hawaiian is a legitimate form of pizza continues to divide food critics globally.

## Examples

- We enjoyed a delicious Hawaiian pizza for lunch.
- The festival featured traditional Hawaiian music and dance performances throughout the afternoon.
- Scholars of linguistics often study the unique phonological structure of the Hawaiian language, which uses a remarkably small set of distinct sounds.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.