Aloha
What it means
A Hawaiian greeting or farewell that can also express affection and goodwill.
Reach for it when using the Hawaiian term in a context where its cultural meaning is relevant
The host welcomed the paddlers with aloha and fresh leis.
Words to choose between 5
| everyday | |
|---|---|
| warm | |
| formal |
-
everyday
Fits when a simple English greeting is all the context needs
Careful Hello loses aloha's Hawaiian identity and broader sense of goodwill.
-
warm
Fits when loving feeling is the intended meaning
Careful Affection omits the cultural and greeting functions of aloha.
-
warm
Fits when hospitality toward an arrival is central
Careful Welcome cannot serve as a farewell.
-
formal
farewell
Fits when the parting meaning is explicit
Careful Farewell loses the affectionate greeting sense.
-
formal
Fits when benevolent feeling matters more than greeting
Careful Goodwill is not a conventional salutation.
Opposites 3
- hostility
- ill will
- rejection
Common phrases 3
-
spirit of aloha
The hosts shared food in a genuine spirit of aloha.
-
say aloha
We paused to say aloha before boarding the ferry.
-
warm aloha
A warm aloha greeted every arriving family.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Vealhurl, Southern England accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 Updated