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Definition of whakatane
whakatane
/ˌfɑːkəˈtɑːneɪ/
wha · ka · ta · ne
whakatane Lexical Profile
CEFR
C2
Grade
10
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
Syllables
4
• noun
1
New Zealand A coastal town located in the eastern Bay of Plenty region on the North Island of New Zealand, historically significant as the traditional landing site of the Mataatua canoe.
Word Nuance & Usage
In modern New Zealand English, the town's name is increasingly spelled with a macron as 'Whakatāne' to reflect correct Māori pronunciation.
• Rhymes for whakatane
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Whakatane. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/whakatane