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Definition of whanganui

whanganui

/ˌwɒŋɡəˈnuːi/
Whan · ga · nu · i

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whanganui Lexical Profile

• noun

1

New Zealand A city on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand, situated at the mouth of the Whanganui River.

Example

"We traveled to Whanganui to explore its rich Māori heritage and historic architecture."


2

New Zealand A major river in the North Island of New Zealand, notable for being the first river in the world to be granted the legal rights of a human being.

Example

"The Whanganui River holds immense spiritual and cultural significance for the local Māori tribes."

Word Nuance & Usage

While the standard Māori pronunciation of 'wh' resembles an 'f' sound, the local dialect pronounces it as a softly aspirated 'w' or 'hw', which historically led to the alternate spelling 'Wanganui' before the modern spelling was officially standardized.

• Rhymes for whanganui

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed from Māori 'Whanganui', literally meaning 'big bay' or 'great harbor', from 'whanga' (bay, bight, stretch of water) and 'nui' (big, great).

Cite this Entry


Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Whanganui. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/whanganui
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