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Definition of hunua
hunua
/huːˈnuː.ə/
hu · nu · a
Plural:Hunuas
hunua Lexical Profile
CEFR
C2
Grade
10
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
New Zealand A block of rugged, forested hills located southeast of Auckland, New Zealand, encompassing a large regional park and serving as a vital water catchment area.
Example
"The heavy rainfall in the Hunua Ranges helped replenish the city's main water reservoirs."
2
New Zealand A rural settlement located southeast of Auckland in the North Island of New Zealand.
Example
"We stopped in the small town of Hunua to gather supplies before heading into the regional park."
• Rhymes for hunua
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Māori 'hunua', historically meaning mountainous and sterile or barren land, although the modern-day Hunua Ranges are known for their dense native forests.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Hunua. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/hunua