Urupa means: A Maori-language term used in New Zealand for a burial ground or cemetery, specifically one associated with Maori cultural practice. An urupa is a sacred site deserving respect, and disturbing one is. It is mainly New Zealand English and may not be understood outside that context. It is generally derogatory or offensive; worth a quiet word about how it lands on the person being described.
urupa
A Maori-language term used in New Zealand for a burial ground or cemetery, specifically one associated with Maori cultural practice.
Definitions
#1·Apr 28, 2026
A Maori-language term used in New Zealand for a burial ground or cemetery, specifically one associated with Maori cultural practice. An urupa is a sacred site deserving respect, and disturbing one is considered highly offensive in Maori custom. The word is commonly encountered in New Zealand English in discussions of land rights, heritage, and cultural protocol. Pronounced approximately 'oo-roo-pah.'
The iwi requested that the proposed road be rerouted to avoid the urupa at the edge of the bush.
Origin: From Maori, the indigenous language of New Zealand. The word is used without translation in New Zealand English. Editorial expansion authored on Slangora.
For parents
Urupa means: A Maori-language term used in New Zealand for a burial ground or cemetery, specifically one associated with Maori cultural practice. An urupa is a sacred site deserving respect, and disturbing one is. It is mainly New Zealand English and may not be understood outside that context. It is generally derogatory or offensive; worth a quiet word about how it lands on the person being described.
For ESL learners
urupa means: A Maori-language term used in New Zealand for a burial ground or cemetery, specifically one associated with Maori cultural practice. An urupa is a sacred site deserving respect,. Register: very informal, often derogatory or vulgar. Avoid in formal, business, academic, or polite writing. Even in casual speech the word can offend and is best left out of a learner's active vocabulary. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.
Cluster: hedging
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#2·Apr 27, 2026
(NZ) In Māori culture, a burial ground.
Cluster: general
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
See all Regional & Other slang on Slangora.
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Other words near "urupa" (U)
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