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, 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, and skydiving.

Synonyms

See also

Anagrams

Albanian

Etymology

From Ottoman Turkish şaka‎ (joke). Others propose Proto-Indo-European *yek- (“to speak”). Compare Latin iocus (“joke, jest”), Italian gioco (“game, prank, joke”) (compare Apulian dialect 'sheik' joke, prank), Old High German jehan, Welsh iaith, Breton jez.

Noun

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

  1. a joke, prank
Synonyms

French

Pronunciation

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

Verb

shaka

  1. third-person singular past historic of shaker

Ladino

Etymology

From Turkish şaka (“joke”).

Noun

shaka f

  1. joke (thing said to amuse)

Swahili

Etymology

From Arabic شَكّ‎ (šakk).

Noun

shaka (n class, plural shaka)

  1. doubt
  2. worry
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