Alii

/əˈliːaɪ/ noun

Definition

Plural of alius; the Hawaiian tern (a seabird), or in Latin contexts, others or different things.

Etymology

From Hawaiian 'āli'i meaning 'chief' or referring to local seabirds, or from Latin alius meaning 'other' in its plural form, depending on context.

Kelly Says

Hawaiian 'alii' were the chiefly class—and language is power, because knowing whether someone was 'alii' or common determined everything about how you spoke to them and what rights they had.

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