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A sinuous Polynesian dance, the hula combines undulating movement of the hips and mimetic hand gestures. The dance is often accompanied by chants, drumming, and music played on instruments such as the ukulele. Originally a religious dance performed to praise the chiefs, contemporary hulas tell a story or describe a place, and are danced exclusively by women. The costume typically includes a raffia skirt with a lei (garland) around the neck.
Examples of hula in a Sentence
Anand Gopal, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024
And Fridays at Salesforce have been known as Aloha shirt days, replete with company events that include hula dancers and Hawaiian drummers.
—Dara Kerr, NPR, 28 Feb. 2024
The minimalist surfer girl and the sea Heat Index: 5
A trio of hula dancers kicked off the Mikoh swimwear presentation, with models clad in vibrant solid two pieces of tangerine, blue, and coral.
—Miami Staff, Miami Herald, 30 Jan. 2024
The old courthouse, which usually serves as a backdrop for the hula festival, was gutted.
—Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. 2023
To experience the most authentic hula, seek out a hula competition.
—Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2024
The thinner, the better for the wooden planks so that nothing too heavy drags the hula hoops down.
—Christianna Silva, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Aug. 2023
Hawaii is everything most families want in a vacation and then some — swaying palm trees, exciting hula performances, scenic beaches and so many rainbows.
—Karen Cicero, Good Housekeeping, 29 June 2023
The museum also opened a new exhibition earlier this year honoring the long legacy of hula in Chicago.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Jan. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hula.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Hula.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hula. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hula
noun
a native word in Hawaii
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