Standard Lemma guide

kowhai

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

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  • /ˈkoʊfaɪ/
  • /ˈkoʊwaɪ/

1

noun

Meaning 1

Any of several small woody legume trees in the genus Sophora native to New Zealand that have yellow flowers. The national flower of New Zealand.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

shrub or small tree of New Zealand and Chile having pendulous racemes of tubular golden-yellow flowers; yields a hard strong wood

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: Sophora tetraptera

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: tree

History

Etymology

From Māori kōwhai (“yellow”).