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Definition of wairoa
wairoa
/ˈwaɪroʊ.ə/
wai · ro · a
wairoa Lexical Profile
CEFR
C1
Grade
10
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
• noun
1
New Zealand A town in the Hawke's Bay region of New Zealand's North Island, situated at the mouth of the Wairoa River.
Example
"We stopped for lunch in Wairoa while driving along the eastern coast of the North Island."
2
New Zealand A major river in the northern Hawke's Bay region of New Zealand, as well as the name of several other distinct rivers throughout the country.
Example
"The heavy rains caused the Wairoa to breach its banks and flood the surrounding agricultural lands."
Word Origin & Etymology
From the Māori language, meaning 'long water', derived from 'wai' (water) and 'roa' (long). The name is applied to several rivers and a prominent town in New Zealand.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Wairoa. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 15, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/wairoa