kiore

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Maori.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /kiˈɔːɹeɪ/, /ˈkiːɒɹɛ/
• (US) IPA^(key): /kiˈoɹeɪ/, /kiˈoɹi/
• (New Zealand) IPA^(key): /kiːˈoːɹe/, /ˈkiːoːɹe/
• Rhymes: -ɔːɹeɪ, -ɔːɹi

Noun

kiore (plural kiores or kiore)

1. (New Zealand) The Polynesian rat, Rattus exulans. [from 19th c.]
   • 2003, Michael King, The Penguin History of Aotearoa New Zealand, Penguin, published 2023, page 6:

     The only means of transport available to kiore was Polynesian vessels.

References

• “kiore, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.
• “kiore, n.”, in Collins English Dictionary.
• “kiore, n.”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.

Further reading

• Polynesian rat on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Rattus exulans on Wikispecies.Wikispecies
• Category:Rattus exulans on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons

Anagrams

• Koeri, Reiko, Eriko

Maori

Etymology

From Proto-Polynesian *kiole. Cognate with Hawaiian ʻiole.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkiore/, [ˈkiɔɾɛ]

Noun

kiore

1. rat
2. (computing) mouse (input device)

Further reading

• “kiore” in John C. Moorfield, Te Aka: Maori–English, English–Maori Dictionary and Index, 3rd edition, Longman/Pearson Education New Zealand, 2011, →ISBN.