Hawaiian Verb · Sea
ʻAuwana
Pronunciation: /ah-oo-wah-nah/
Meaning
To wander, to stray. Describes getting off course during a journey.
Example sentences
Ua ʻauwana ka waʻa i ka ʻino o ke kai.
The canoe wandered off course in the storm at sea.
Mai ʻauwana ʻoe i ka wā e hoʻokele ana kākou i ka mokupuni.
Do not stray while we are navigating to the island.
Nui ka hopohopo o nā kānaka i ka wā i ʻauwana ai ka moku.
The people were very worried when the ship went astray.
About this word
“ʻAuwana” is a Hawaiian verb meaning To wander, to stray. It is part of the ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) vocabulary in the category of Sea. Definitions are based on the Pukui-Elbert Hawaiian Dictionary.