pandanus

noun

pan·​da·​nus pan-ˈdā-nəs How to pronounce pandanus (audio) -ˈda- How to pronounce pandanus (audio)
plural pandani pan-ˈdā-(ˌ)nī How to pronounce pandanus (audio)
-ˈda-
: screw pine
also : a fiber made from screw-pine leaves and used for woven products (such as mats)

Examples of pandanus in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The tradition of weaving the lau (leaves) from the hala (pandanus) tree was brought to the Aloha State when the first Polynesian settlers arrived in canoes with sails fashioned from the material, according to some historians. — Sarah Sekula, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 June 2023 For his modern-day take, Marzan used pandanus, a type of palm-like pine leaf. — Sarah Sekula, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 June 2023

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, genus name, from Malay pandan screw pine

First Known Use

1830, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pandanus was in 1830

Rhymes for pandanus

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Browse Nearby Words

Pandanales
pandanus
pandar
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Cite this Entry

“Pandanus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pandanus. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.

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