haka

Also found in: Acronyms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.

ha·ka

 (hä′kä)
n.
1. A Maori war dance accompanied by chanting.
2. A similar choreographed chant performed by a Rugby team, especially one from New Zealand.

[Maori; akin to Hawaiian ha'a, men's dance performed with bent knees, and Samoan sa'a, to be short-legged, dance, all from Proto-Polynesian *saka, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *sakaŋ, bowlegged (compare Tagalog sakaŋ, bowlegged), from Proto-Austronesian *-kaŋ, spread apart (as the legs or something split in two).]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

haka

(ˈhɑːkə)
n
1. (Anthropology & Ethnology) a Māori war chant accompanied by gestures
2. (Rugby) a similar performance by a rugby team
[Māori]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

haka

A Maori word meaning a war chant and dance.
Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words by Diagram Group Copyright © 2008 by Diagram Visual Information Limited
Mentioned in
References in periodicals archive
MICHAEL OWEN bagged a glorious hat-trick as Liverpool fired five past hapless Haka in Helsinki.
The Anfield club finally got the news they were hoping for when Maccabi Haifa's appeal to Uefa following their expulsion from the tournament last week for fielding a suspended player against Haka failed.
And Jeffrey knows all about Haka's recovery powers.
Haka coach Keith Armstrong rated Gers `poor' in their 1-0 win over Rosenborg and hinted that his towering players could hurt Gers keeper Stefan Klos at crossballs.
The last time the Lions were in New Zealand in 2005, they consulted Maoris to find a meaningful response to the haka and they formed a semi-circle with captain Brian O'Driscoll and the youngest member of the team, Dwayne Peel, stepping out to face it.
Dad-of-two John 52, of Gateshead, who runs JPG First Aid and Safety Training Services, added: "The Geordie Haka has been performed many times and it is gets rounds of applause or people go into hysterics.
Then, after three workshops on May 10, there will be a mass Haka in the city centre.
The haka dances will be staged at the Houli expo site, at 4 p.m., April 23-24.
"To honour the event and those whose efforts have brought Duncarron to life, I've requested some Maori warriors to attend, represent NZ and make those walls ring with a thundering Haka in respect of Scottish culture and heritage."
As the country struggles to respond to the horrific tragedy, it was perhaps inevitable that many would turn to the haka -- a dance whose origins lie with the indigenous Maori community but which has become a global symbol of New Zealand as the battle cry of its national rugby team, the All Blacks.
After Klopp and his squad watched a performance of the haka in person, the Liverpool boss revealed how it was that dance which he used to help kick-start his managerial career at Mainz.
Copyright © 2003-2025 Farlex, Inc Disclaimer
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.