: a wreath or necklace usually of flowers or leaves

lei

2 of 2

noun (2)

plural of leu

the basic monetary unit of Moldova and Romania see Money Table

Examples of lei in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
While away due to knee surgery, Hufanga was happy to see the 49ers, to his surprise, continue his tradition of awarding a kukui-nut lei to each game’s star player. Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 9 Feb. 2024 Dwayne then planted a kiss on his mother's head and placed a lei necklace around her neck. Gabrielle Rockson, Peoplemag, 30 Oct. 2023 Former President Jimmy Carter, 99, wore a lei of red flowers for the occasion, while other family members, including the Carter children, wore brightly colored leis as well. Virginia Chamlee, Peoplemag, 29 Nov. 2023 The pair donned similar floral print outfits with Teigen completing her look with a lei while Luna wore a headpiece made from a palm frond. Charmaine Patterson, PEOPLE.com, 11 Apr. 2022 At this Good Housekeeping Family Travel Award-winner, bliss starts at check-in when your crew is welcomed with a lei and a beverage. Karen Cicero, Good Housekeeping, 29 June 2023 The lei is her entry for the 95th Annual Lei Day Celebration, which happens on Lei Day, Monday, in Honolulu. Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 1 May 2023 The tradition of the lei dates back to the beginning of Hawaiian culture when it was brought over by the Polynesians who migrated to the Hawaiian Islands. Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 1 May 2023 That’s what led to a photo of a smiling cop and a beaming kid in red commencement robe and purple lei being posted on the Escondido police Facebook page. Diane Bell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 June 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lei.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Hawaiian

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1843, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lei was in 1843

Dictionary Entries Near lei

Cite this Entry

“Lei.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lei. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

lei

noun
ˈlā,
ˈla-ˌē
: a wreath or necklace usually of flowers
Etymology

Noun

Hawaiian

More from Merriam-Webster on lei

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!