pohutukawa

English

Alternative forms

• pōhutukawa, pahutukawa

Etymology

Borrowed from Maori pōhutukawa.

Pronunciation

• (New Zealand) IPA^(key): /poːˈhutukʌwʌ/, /pəˌhuːtəˈkʌːwə/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /pəˌhuːtəˈkɑːwə/

Noun

pohutukawa (plural pohutukawa or pohutukawas)

1. A coastal evergreen tree, Metrosideros excelsa, native to New Zealand and producing a brilliant display of red flowers made up of a mass of stamens around Christmastime. [from 19th c.]
   • 2020, Sujit Sivasundaram, Waves Across the South, William Collins, published 2021, page 12:

     On the map, this road ends with the representation of a sacred pōhutukawa tree.