rata
/ɹˈætə/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.65 in modern English
4
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
2
Syllables
3
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
yellow mangosteen (Garcinia dulcis), a tree native to Indonesia, the Philippines, and India.
name
Any of several legendary heroes in various Polynesian mythologies, notably associated with canoe building; in the context of comparative mythology, these figures are frequently identified with each other, resulting in as few as one or two distinct identities.
Example Sentences
- "The epics from other Polynesian islands may differ in detail, but in all of them, Rata (also known as Laska, Lasa, Aka, Raka) remains the illustrious canoe builder whose expertise in seafaring has never been surpassed."
- "2009, Sarah Bartlett, Rata, entry in The Mythology Bible, Sterling Publishing Co., page 356, There are many versions of Rata′s adventures throughout the islands of Polynesia. Rata is a warrior hero with magical powers and is part of the Tawhaki cycle, a great cycle of dynastic myths. In this version from the islands of the South Pacific, it is Rata′s quest for vengeance that is told."
Etymology
] From Māori rātā or cognate Tahitian rātā (“tree of genus Metrosideros”). Compare Tahitian puarātā (“Metrosideros collina”).
Word Breakdown
- Root: rātā
Usage
Inflected Forms
ratas (plural)
Rātā (alternative)