Hei-tiki
//ˌhæeˈtiki// noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 An ornamental pendant (typically made of pounamu or greenstone) among the Māori, worn around the neck, representing a human figure traditionally connected with Tiki, the first human in Maori mythology. New-Zealand
"The ability to work stone and bone was also prized, for the production of essential tools such as adzes and fishhooks, and for the quality of ornaments such as pendants and hei tiki."
Example
More examples"The ability to work stone and bone was also prized, for the production of essential tools such as adzes and fishhooks, and for the quality of ornaments such as pendants and hei tiki."
Etymology
Borrowed from Māori heitiki, from hei (“to tie around the neck; scarf, pendant”) + tiki (“carving of a human figure”).
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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.