[loo-ou, loo-ou] 
| 1. | a feast of Hawaiian food, usually held outdoors and usually accompanied by Hawaiian entertainment. |
| 2. | a cooked dish of taro leaves, usually prepared with coconut cream and octopus or chicken. |
| lu·au (lōō-ou', lōō'ou') n. An elaborate Hawaiian feast featuring traditional foods and entertainment. [Hawaiian lū'au, young taro tops, feast (at which taro tops are served).] |
luau
a modern Hawaiian banquet. Luau originally denoted only the leaves of the taro plant, which are eaten as a vegetable; it came to refer to the dishes prepared with the leaves and then to the feasts at which the dishes were eaten. The term designates the modern, informal feast, as distinct from the ancient ceremonial banquets that were ritualized and attended only by men.
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