punalua

noun

pu·​na·​lua
ˌpünəˈlüə
plural -s
1
: a group marriage formerly practiced in Hawaii in which a group of brothers is married to a group of sisters or in which the husbands are of the same kinship group and the wives are members of another kinship group
2
: the two or more husbands of a wife or the two or more wives of a husband in such a group marriage
3
: the relationship of the persons in such a form of marriage

Word History

Etymology

Hawaiian

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Dictionary Entries Near punalua

Cite this Entry

“Punalua.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/punalua. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

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