Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

taniwha

/ˈtanɪfə/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.30 in modern English

Syllables
tani-wha
IPA
/ˈtanɪfə/
13
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A spirit or monster in Maori mythology, especially one that dwells in the water.

New Zealand usage

noun

A person who embodies the spirit of a taniwha.

New Zealand usage

Example Sentences

Etymology

Borrowed from Māori taniwha.

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • British English: /ˈtanɪfə/

Usage

Inflected Forms

taniwhas (plural)

Questions

How do you pronounce taniwha?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈtanɪfə/.
What does taniwha mean?
A spirit or monster in Maori mythology, especially one that dwells in the water.
Where does taniwha come from?
Borrowed from Māori taniwha.

How to pronounce taniwha

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “taniwha”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈtanɪfə/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “taniwha”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “taniwha” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.