koha
/ˈkoʊhə/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.59 in modern English
11
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
2
Syllables
4
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A voluntary donation given for a service that has been provided.
New Zealand usage; Countable; Uncountable
noun
The koel (Eudynamys), a genus of cuckoos from Asia, Australia, and the Pacific with a distinctive loud call; specifically, the Asian koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus).
Example Sentences
- "Koha are commonly given at the conclusion of a powhiri (a Maori welcome onto a marae (meeting place)). [Mary Anne] Salmond explains that "great pride is taken in being able to present a generous gift to the hosts." Koha that are given at the conclusion of a powhiri are not payments for goods or services."
- "The speaker then sits down and a person from the marae side walks over to collect the koha and acknowledge it."
- "Mana Party leader Hone Harawira is standing behind his party's by-election candidate saying Pakeha don't understand koha if they have a problem with him keeping the $12,000 raised for his surgery."
- "In the old days the koha would be food to help with the running of the event, like baskets of kumara, [Michael] Skerrett said."
- "There was considerable opposition to any advance for this mill being charged as against "Koha." […] In respect to the Turakirae Block, Manihera and Wi Kingi claimed "Koha" for Taita, Mangaroa, and Pakuratahi, stating that the purchase extended over those lands, and even to the source of a stream falling to the West Coast."
- "Unfortunately, some of our young people have come to the conclusion that koha as a system is out of date. Several times I have heard it said by young people that they are going to a hui but, not to worry, the Government will fund it. […] I believe that we ought to be attending hui, and ought to make contributions by way of koha."
Etymology
Word Breakdown
- Root: koha, කොහා, කෝ + හඩ
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈkoʊhə/
- British English: /ˈkəʊhə/
Usage
Subject
Wiktionary places this term in Food.