Hawaiian Verb · Sea
ʻōlapa
Pronunciation: /oh-lah-pah/
Meaning
To flash, to flicker; (of fish) to flash in the sun
Example sentences
Ua ʻike mākou i ka iʻa e ʻōlapa ana i ka lā ma luna o ka wai.
We saw the fish flashing in the sun on the water's surface.
Ma ka pō, ua ʻike mākou i ke kukui e ʻōlapa ana i ka pōʻeleʻele.
At night, we saw the lamp flickering in the darkness.
Ke ʻōlapa nei ka lā ma ka moana, e hoʻomākaukau ana no ka hoʻolele.
The sun is flashing on the ocean, preparing for sunset.
About this word
“ʻōlapa” is a Hawaiian verb meaning To flash, to flicker; (of fish) to flash in the sun. It is part of the ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi (Hawaiian language) vocabulary in the category of Sea. Definitions are based on the Pukui-Elbert Hawaiian Dictionary.