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lei
1
[ley, ley-ee] 
| (in the Hawaiian Islands) a wreath of flowers, leaves, etc., for the neck or head. |
1835–45; < Hawaiian
le⋅u
[le-oo] [ley] . | a coin and monetary unit of Romania, equal to 100 bani. Abbreviation: L. |
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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| lei 1 (lā, lā'ē) n. pl. leis A garland of flowers, especially one worn around the neck. [Hawaiian.] |
| lei 2 (lā) n. Plural of leu. |
| le·u (lě'ŏŏ) n. pl. lei (lā) See Table at currency. [Romanian, from Latin leō, lion (from the image of a lion on a coin used in the late Ottoman Empire); see lion.] |
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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lei
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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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