i| a chattering or flighty, light-headed person. |
| a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison. |
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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lei1 (leɪ) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| (in Hawaii) a garland of flowers, worn around the neck | |
| [from Hawaiian] | |
| lei2 (leɪ) | |
| —n | |
| the plural of leu | |
| leu (ˈleɪuː) | |
| —n , pl lei | |
| the standard monetary unit of Romania and Moldova, divided into 100 bani | |
| [from Romanian: lion] | |
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lei
leu
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Leu abbr.
leucine
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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lei
a garland or necklace of flowers given in Hawaii as a token of welcome or farewell. Leis are most commonly made of carnations, kika blossoms, ginger blossoms, jasmine blossoms, or orchids and are usually about 18 inches (46 cm) long. They are bestowed with a kiss as a sign of hospitality. The traveler customarily tosses the farewell lei onto the harbour waters as his ship leaves; the drift of the lei back to the shore indicates that he will someday return to the islands. The custom of wearing leis originated with the indigenous Hawaiians, who wove necklaces of leaves or ferns or sometimes strung dried shells, fruits, beads, or bright feathers for personal adornment. Hawaiians celebrate Lei Day on May 1, symbolizing their tradition of friendliness.
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