A Māori word for extended family that has become part of everyday New Zealand English. Whanau goes beyond the nuclear family — it includes grandparents, aunties, uncles, cousins, and everyone connected by blood, marriage, or deep community ties. In New Zealand culture, your whanau is your support network, your identity, and your responsibility all rolled into one. The concept emphasises collective wellbeing over individual needs, which is central to Māori values.
She moved back to her hometown to be closer to her whanau after the baby was born.
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(New Zealand) An extended family.
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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.