ngawha
A Maori word for a geothermal boiling or bubbling spring, common in the volcanic regions of New Zealand's North Island.
Definitions
A Maori word for a geothermal boiling or bubbling spring, common in the volcanic regions of New Zealand's North Island. Ngawha springs are considered tapu (sacred) in Maori tradition and have been used for cooking, healing, and spiritual practice. Ngawha Springs in Northland is a notable example, now also a commercial thermal pool site.
Steam rose from the ngawha at the edge of the forest, the water a deep blue-grey and far too hot to touch.
Comments
(NZ) A boiling spring.
Comments
Used in
Have a better definition?
Add your own interpretation of "ngawha".
🗺️About Regional & Other slang
Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
See all Regional & Other slang on Slangora.
Tags
Other words near "ngawha" (N)
Browse all slang words starting with N.
Related terms
People also read
Semantically related
- 59%
(NZ) A spirit or monster in Maori mythology, especially one that dwells in the water.
- 59%
New Zealand English term borrowed from Maori, referring to red ochre — an iron oxide pigment used historically by Maori for body decoration, canoe painting, and marking significant objects. In contemporary usage it appears in cultural and historical contexts, particularly discussions of Maori art and traditions. A recognized loanword firmly embedded in New Zealand English.
- 58%
A New Zealand informal term, borrowed from Maori, meaning annoyed, irritated, or fed up. Used freely in New Zealand English across communities as a way of expressing mild to moderate frustration. Part of the everyday Maori vocabulary that has permeated New Zealand English speech.
- 57%
(NZ) In Māori culture: the place where one belongs or has a right to live; one's own land; also, the sense of freedom, identity, and spiritual connection associated with this place.