Standard Lemma guide

kahuna

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /kəˈhuːnə/
  • rhymes with -uːnə
  • CMU ARPABET: K AH0 HH UW1 N AH0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A priest or priestess of the traditional Hawaiian religion.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Hawaii

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A great surfer.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: hobbies, lifestyle, sports, surfing

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Hawaiian kahuna (“shaman, wizard”).

Real reading context

kahuna in complete knowledge articles