Hawaii

or Ha·wai·'i

[ huh-wahy-ee, -wah-; Hawaiian -wah-yuh, hah-vah-ee ]

noun
  1. a state of the United States comprising the northern Pacific islands of Hawaii, Kahoolawe, Kauai, Lanai, Maui, Molokai, Niihau, and Oahu: a U.S. territory 1900–59; admitted to the Union 1959. 6,424 sq. mi. (16,715 sq. km). Capital: Honolulu. Abbreviations: HI (for use with zip code), Haw.

  2. Official name Island of Hawaii .Also called Hawaii Island, the Big Island . the largest island of Hawaii, in the southeastern part of the state. 4,028 sq. mi. (10,430 sq. km).

  1. Kingdom of Hawaii. the Hawaiian Kingdom.

Origin of Hawaii

1
From Hawaiian Hawai'i

usage note For Hawaii

Hawaii and Hawai'i are used interchangeably, with Hawaii being predominant, especially in government. It is conventional for departments of the state to use Hawaii in letterheads, seals, flags, signs, forms, licenses, and other official documents. It is not, however, unusual to find Hawai'i within the text of a letter, report, etc., that has Hawaii in the letterhead or seal.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for Hawaii

Hawaii

/ (həˈwaɪɪ) /


noun
  1. a state of the US in the central Pacific, consisting of over 20 volcanic islands and atolls, including Hawaii, Maui, Oahu, Kauai, and Molokai: discovered by Captain Cook in 1778; annexed by the US in 1898; naval base at Pearl Harbor attacked by the Japanese in 1941, a major cause of US entry into World War II; became a state in 1959. Capital: Honolulu. Pop: 1 257 608 (2003 est). Area: 16 640 sq km (6425 sq miles): Former name: Sandwich Islands Abbreviation: Ha, (with zip code) HI

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for Hawaii

Hawaii

State located in the Pacific Ocean southwest of the mainland United States; consists mainly of a chain of eight islands, including Hawaii, the largest, and Oahu, location of Honolulu, the state's capital and largest city.

Notes for Hawaii

Fiftieth state, admitted in 1959.

Notes for Hawaii

Location of Pearl Harbor.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.