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pihoihoi

Pihoihoi is a Maori name used in New Zealand for the Australasian pipit — a small, brown, ground-dwelling songbird found across New Zealand's open grasslands and coasts.

pɪˈhɔɪhu204 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
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#1·Apr 28, 2026

Pihoihoi is a Maori name used in New Zealand for the Australasian pipit — a small, brown, ground-dwelling songbird found across New Zealand's open grasslands and coasts. The name is onomatopoeic in Maori tradition, echoing the bird's piping call. As a dictionary entry it is primarily of ornithological and linguistic interest — a reminder that New Zealand English freely incorporates Maori bird names into everyday nature vocabulary. The entry appears incomplete in the source data.

A pihoihoi darted across the gravel track ahead of us, bobbing its tail as it went.
Origin: Maori name for the Australasian pipit (Anthus novaeseelandiae); the name is onomatopoeic, echoing the bird's call. Editorial expansion authored on Slangora (model-assisted, hedged).
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#2·Apr 27, 2026

(NZ) , the .

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