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Definition of inanga
inanga
/ɪˈnɑːŋɡə/
i · nan · ga
Plural:inanga
inanga Lexical Profile
CEFR
C2
Grade
12
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
inanga Game Scores & Validity
Scrabble US
Scrabble UK
WWF
Wordle Guess
• noun
1
New Zealand A small, slender freshwater fish (Galaxias maculatus) native to New Zealand, Australia, and parts of South America, the juveniles of which form the majority of the traditional whitebait catch.
Example
"During the spring migration, fishers line the riverbanks with nets to catch the juvenile inanga as they swim upstream from the sea."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for inangaWord Nuance & Usage
In New Zealand English, Māori loanwords like 'inanga' generally do not take an 's' in their plural form. While the adult fish is called inanga, its juvenile stage is the primary species colloquially known and consumed as 'whitebait'.
• Rhymes for inanga
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed directly into New Zealand English from the Māori word 'īnanga'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Inanga. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 12, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/inanga