shaka

See also: Shaka

English

The shaka

Etymology

Origin uncertain. Shaka is not a word in the Hawaiian language, which lacks the /ʃ/ sound.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈʃɑːkə/
  • Rhymes: -ɑːkə

Noun

shaka (plural shakas)

  1. A greeting gesture in which the thumb and little finger are extended while curling the three middle fingers in a semi-fist. Used to express a variety of positive meanings including "all right", "hello" and "goodbye".
    • 2008 August 10, “Obama: At Home in the Islands”, in New York Times:
      Greet someone with the slang, “Howzit?” and say goodbye with a flash of the “shaka” sign (fist closed, thumb and pinky extended) and you have established your credibility with Hawaii natives.
    • 2008 December 27, photo caption, Reuters:
      US President-elect Obama flashes the 'shaka' before he greets a crowd []

Usage notes

  • Associated with Hawaii and with sports such as surfing, skateboarding, snowboarding, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and skydiving.

Synonyms

See also

Anagrams

Albanian

Etymology

From Ottoman Turkish شقا (şaka, joke). Compare Turkish şaka.

Noun

shaka f (plural shaka, definite shakaja, definite plural shakatë)

  1. joke, prank
    Synonyms: hokë, tallje, shpoti

French

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ʃɛ.ka/, /ʃe.ka/
  • Homophones: shakas, shakât

Verb

shaka

  1. third-person singular past historic of shaker

Japanese

Romanization

shaka

  1. Rōmaji transcription of しゃか

Ladino

Etymology

From Turkish şaka (joke).

Noun

shaka f (Latin spelling)

  1. joke (thing said to amuse)

Rwanda-Rundi

Verb

-shāka (infinitive gushāka, perfective -shātse)

  1. want
  2. look for, seek

Swahili

Etymology

Borrowed from Arabic شَكّ (šakk).

Pronunciation

  • (file)

Noun

shaka (n class, plural shaka) or shaka (ma class, plural mashaka)

  1. doubt
  2. worry
  3. (computing) error

Swazi

Etymology

Borrowed from English shark.

Noun

shaka? class 1a (plural boshaka class 2a)

  1. shark

Inflection

This noun needs an inflection-table template.

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