Topics

Animal and plant names (Goo & Banner)

Every word from Goo & Banner's compilation of Gilbertese animal and plant names, mostly with scientific names.

479 Kiribati words

• ai flint lock musket.
• aikai these.
• akiaki Sterna sumatrana sumatrana.
• amori fish.
• ana his, her, its.
• anai subtraction.
• anaroro anaororo (k).
• ango tree.
• annabai Pandanus sp..
• anoi shark.
• anti god, spirit, ghost.
• aomang te aomang: a species of fish.
• aongo Caranx lugubris (ll).
• araboto a variety of large shark (k,ll).
• aramarieba Pandanus sp..
• aramaru pandanus fruit.
• aramoroia Pandanus sp..
• aranteba Pandanus sp..
• arataba a large red fish (taken 60 fathoms down).
• arawa shark's teeth sword, the teeth being lashed to the wooden blade.
• arinai fish.
• arinaimawa a fish.
• arinaitokoman family Labridae (ll).
• arinamawa Macropharyngodon geoffroyi (ll).
• aroe aloes [lilaceous plant] (ENG).
• ati ass, donkey (ENG).
• atuaro fish.
• atunaomata fish.
• aua hour (ENG).
• auakurere family Mugilidae (ll).
• auamaran Mugil engeli (ll).
• auaririki family Mugilidae (ll).
• auataba Mugil vaigiensis (ll).
• aumeang winter.
• awa boil.
• awai fish.
• awatai fish.
• awataratara a fish.
• awnei Manta sp..
• baba foolish, destitute of reason, wanting in umderstanding, weak in…
• babai to approach cautiously for the purpose of stealing.
• babakoinawa lancet fish (large one).
• babatababa large tiger shark.
• babatua a roach.
• babeina fish, spot snapper.
• babu a fish, the.
• babutababa a species of shark, the.
• baewe Neothunnus macropterus (ll).
• baibai a fish, the.
• baibo a fish, the.
• baiburebure a species of shark, the.
• baikinakina flying fish.
• baiku the fish.
• baimanu a large fish, the.
• baimare flying fish.
• bairarae having unusually long arms.
• bairoro Prognichthys albimaculatus (ll).
• baitaba 1. a species of fish with large fins (big ntaningamea).
• baitari a species of jelly fish.
• baiura 1. a species of yellow tuna.
• bakati a fish, the.
• bakoa a shark (general term for the genus).
• bakororso Pandanus sp..
• bakua black shark.
• bana the voice, a word.
• baneawa name of a fish, the mullet.
• baneriki a fish, the.
• banunua fish, barracuda.
• baokan a falcon (ENG).
• baomara fish, snapper.
• baotaburimai fish, snapper.
• bara loose, untied, dismissed, dispersed.
• baraitoa a small hat.
• barakua a fish, a variety of the bara.
• baratau a fish, a variety of the bara.
• barebue Caranx sexfasciatus (ll).
• barere a fish, the.
• bari smooth and level as land.
• baru a fish, the.
• batokotoko the fish.
• batongotongo black and threatening as an approaching squall.
• batua a large shell fish, the.
• bawe a fish, the.
• baweata a fish, the.
• baweina a fish, the.
• bawemara a fish.
• bawetaburimai a fish, the.
• benu a coconut husk.
• bere an insulting exclamation of great contempt.
• bero a bell (ENG).
• beru a species of lizard, the.
• binaing a fish, the.
• bingibing a tree.
• bitin (taobe) Gallicolumba erythroptera.
• boina fish, spot snapper.
• boingo a fish, the.
• bokaboka mud.
• bokikokiko Conopoderas aequinoctialis.
• buari a fish, the.
• bubu a fish, the.
• bubuaki Melichthys buniva (ll).
• bubuaukiakia Melichthys vidua (ll).
• bubuawai a fish, a variety of the bubu.
• bubukirikiri a fish, a variety of the bubu.
• bubunabanaba a fish, a variety of the bubu.
• bubunikai Canthidermis maculatus (ll).
• bubunimarawa a fish, a variety of the bubu.
• buburaete a fish, a variety of the bubu.
• buburoba a fish, a variety of the bubu.
• bubutakataka a fish, the.
• bubutakawa Balistapus sp. (ll).
• bubutakawaru a fish, a variety of the bubu.
• bubuwiura a fish, a variety of the bubu.
• buka a tree, the.
• bukeniku species of fish.
• bukibaraba fish, yellow snapper.
• bukibo a fish, the.
• bukibuki a sixty-gallon cask, a cask.
• bukikakang a shell with pointed end.
• bukimaka a fish, the.
• bukimanga a fish, the.
• bukimeri Gymnothorax monostigma (ll).
• bukinrin a fish.
• bukirabaraba a fish, yellow snapper.
• bukitakeiau a fish.
• bun many, much, abundant.
• buni a fish, the.
• buraroti Catharanthus roseus (z).
• bure passed over, given away, teansferred.
• bureinawa a fish, the.
• burerewa orange money, cowry shell.
• bureunawa Holocentrus tiere (y).
• butatora a fish.
• bwebwenimarawa Nesofregetta albigularis.
• eitei bird.
• eri a deep-water fish, long, slender and having four hooked fins.
• iakamawa Scarus pectoralis (y).
• iba taburimai Carpilius maculatus l. (i).
• ibaba fish.
• ibabarotuma Chaetodon sp..
• ibabataranga Chaetodon falcula (y).
• ibo soft, long or wormlike marine animal.
• ieniwa fish.
• ikabata fish.
• ikabawea Sphyraena forsteri (ll).
• ikabingao Pypoplites diacanthus (y).
• ikakoa Aphareus furcatus (ll).
• ikamatoa fish.
• ikamaura a parrot fish (ll).
• ikanarina fish.
• ikanenea large deep-water fish covered with spikes and full of fat, (oil fish).
• ikanibeka Ruvettus sp. (ll).
• ikanibong fish.
• ikanimoimoi Pterois sp. (ll).
• ikantaeka Cephalopholis urodelus (ll).
• ikari fish.
• ikarikiriki fish.
• ikatuaia black rock codod <fish>.
• ikauea devil fishh.
• iku rasp made of the skin of the baiku, a rasp.
• imone small eel.
• imwunai Siganus sp. (ll).
• inai coconut leaf mat.
• inato a species of bush used for hedges.
• ingamea Neothunnus macropterus (y).
• ingimea fish.
• ingo fish.
• inonikai rudder fishh.
• io bird.
• ira how many? always followed by a numerical suffix ai, ua, un, man, na,…
• iriauriaria Pandanus sp..
• iribaikawa Pandanus sp..
• irikiri Pandanus sp..
• iriri frequentative of iri.
• iritawatawa Pandanus sp..
• itai tree.
• itibubura trigger fishh (Balidapus sp.).
• kaban a shell-fish, the.
• kabanei a land bird, the.
• kabanganira a brown mottled Ophichthid eel, possible name for all such eels (ll).
• kabaua Cypraea sp. (i).
• kabinea a shell-fish, the.
• kabubu ashamed.
• kai easily, without difficulty, soon, readily.
• kaiao leaves of vegetation as of the kiaou, the uri, and kaura gathered for…
• kaibaun a red flower.
• kaibiki an eel.
• kaibora Dodonaea viscosa (z).
• kaikai a meal, a civilized meal.
• kaikaintababa small tiger shark (ll).
• kaiou Triumfetta procumbens Forster (z).
• kaira to lead, to conduct, to guide, to cause to accompany.
• kaitewe a small tewe.
• kaka fierce for battle.
• kama the Southern cross.
• kamanging intoxicating, having kamanging in store or on hand.
• kananingo Lutianus bohar (ll,y).
• karabaibai <fish> rock cod.
• karakara a bird, the.
• karon a fish, the.
• karun Pseudoscarus sp..
• katawa a fish.
• katura to slide along.
• kauki a crab.
• kauoto a fish, the.
• kaura a small shrub whose leaves are used as kaiao.
• kawariki a fish, the.
• kekerikaki frequentative of kerikaki to draw back, to withdraw.
• keta to grunt, as when punched in the side.
• keti a flying-fish.
• keu a species of bird (Sooty Tern) which cries keu! keu!
• kewe to lie, to falsify.
• kiaiai a tree.
• kiakia name of a bird.
• kibui a big sea bird (Brown Booby).
• kiebu a lily.
• kika a large squid.
• kimoa to steal.
• kimokimo a fish.
• kiriri a bird.
• kitiba a bird,the,a variety of snipe or sand piper.
• kobe coffee (ENG).
• kobu a species of shark.
• koekoerikaki Aulostomus chinensis (ll).
• koikoi a bivalvular shell, used in scraping out food.
• koikoinanti a bivalvular shell-fish.
• koinawa a fish.
• koinawaba a fish.
• kokoti a shell-fish.
• kona to squeeze, to compress.
• korobaro a bird, the.
• korontari Manta sp..
• koumara small shell fish, bivalvular.
• ku a fish, the.
• kuaine soldier fishh.
• kuamamaninga Epinephelus flavocaeruleus (y).
• kuau a fish, the.
• kuaua a fish, kingfish.
• kuaubani a fish.
• kuaumamaninga fish, rock cod.
• kuaurang a fish.
• kuaurari a fish.
• kubeibeiti Holocentrus diadema (ll).
• kubeibeti Holocentrus diadema (y).
• kuia wood drifted to the islands.
• kukua a variety of crab, the.
• kumane soldier fishh.
• kun skin.
• kungkung to grunt, indicating thereby dessatisfaction.
• kunibo grey colour as in pearl shell.
• kura a disease of the skin, a small pimple.
• kurukuru moray eel.
• maebo fish.
• maeko family Acanthuridae (ll).
• mai used imperatively, come here.
• makauro soldier crab.
• makauron tari Quimalea pomum (i).
• make fish.
• makenikarawa fish.
• mako fish.
• manai scissors.
• mananai a fish, large parrot fish.
• maneku fish.
• mangkiri bird.
• mao large bush.
• maoko fish.
• matabareka having dirt or dust about or under the eyes.
• matabari fish.
• mataboa taeniura flagtail, fish.
• matakai skilled in avoiding a sudden thrust, wary.
• matangt kamaung fish.
• matataratara a species of fish (ll).
• matawa large round as a man and so held with difficulty.
• matuku <bird> a species of crane, reef crane.
• mawa out of breath through wearyiness.
• mnawa Parabaccus antarcticus Lund.
• moa first.
• mon fish.
• monamona fish.
• morikoi fish.
• moro measure, size, dimension (esp. used in idioms).
• moto bird.
• mouakena bird.
• mtea small plant or weed.
• murikoi fish.
• nagarei sandshark, said to be dangerous (ll) <shark>.
• nareau Na Areau; see this word.
• nari smooth stone.
• natiati a fish.
• natin te taima Amphiprion bicinctus (ll).
• neang a two-horned shell, spider shell.
• nei fresh water pool or pond.
• nei toro neitoro (k).
• neia the fish.
• neiang Lambis sp.
• neinei a shallow pool, pond.
• neireurekia nudibranch (i).
• neiteiku puffer fishh.
• nekeneke the fish.
• nenei the fish.
• newekabane the fish.
• ni a coconut tree.
• nibakaouti a small eel (ll).
• nibongbong Gerres oblongus (y).
• nikamatutu a plant which closes when touched.
• nikamon name of a fish, the.
• nikarewerewe a crab.
• nikarikiriki a shell fish. big. heart cockle.
• nikaroutaunene a species of fish (ll).
• nikatang a fish, the.
• nikatona a bivalvular shellfish, the.
• nikoro a fish, the.
• nikuau family Serranidae.
• nikunikun name of a bird.
• nimaere male parrot fish (Scarus sordidus).
• nimaerere a fish line composed of hair and coconut fibre, used in sorcery.
• nimakaka a shell fish.
• nimako a fish, young of mako, rock cod.
• nimanang a fish, kind of kuau, rock cod.
• nimanini a small fish,the.
• nimareburebu the seed of the bingibing.
• nimatanin a shell fish.
• nimawawa a species of fish. wrasse.
• nimnai a small fish, rabbit fish.
• nimori Canthigaster solandri (ll).
• nimunai surgeon fishh (Teuthis rostratus).
• ninimai small white thin fish.
• niribariba (Acanthuridae sp.). young surgeon fish.
• niwarowaro Crangon strenuus Dana (i).
• nna to lower.
• nnonno Calappa hepatica L..
• non name of a tree.
• nou a blister.
• nouatibu Synanceja sp. (ll).
• nouika scorpion fishh.
• nouo a conical shell fish (several species).
• nrakerake surgeon fishh.
• nrakuraku unicorn fishh.
• nrekereke a fish, the.
• ntababa a sea slug.
• ntabaeko a fish, the.
• ntabarereki Charybdis crythrodadyla lamark.
• ntabokai a fish, the.
• ntamaiewekia fish.
• ntanini a running vine without leaves.
• ntaramakai Periopthalmus sp. (ll).
• ntaramauri fish.
• ntarema a fish, the.
• ntaremauri Cirripectus spp. (y).
• ntarine a fish, the.
• ntarini a small reef fish with red flags on dorsal spine.
• ntaritari Promichtys prometheus.
• ntibetibe a fish, the.
• ntibetibei Zanclus cornutus (y).
• ntoakine puffer fishh.
• nunua a fish, the.
• nuonuo the fish.
• nwekabane Halichoeres centriquadrus.
• ngea a tree, the.
• ngutu a movable sight of a gun.
• okaoka fish.
• on turtle.
• onauti flying fish.
• oningea fish.
• oratiram goat fishh.
• orian a plant, oleander.
• ouru fish.
• rabono an eel, the.
• rabonomai a white eel.
• rabonotebanga Echidna zebra (ll).
• rabonotekabanga Echidna zebra (y).
• raewanai a fish, the.
• raku a fish, the.
• rakubakabanei Teptaturus angustirostris (ll).
• rakuika a fish, the.
• rakuiri Istiophorus (ll).
• ranikai fish.
• raubara garfish <fish>.
• raun a kind of fish-hook made of mother-of-pearl.
• reiati a fish, the.
• reiawawa a fish, the.
• reiba Acanthurus nigroris (y).
• reibu a fish, the.
• reibutokotoko Abudefduf glaucus (ll).
• reke to be obtained, caught, secured, gotten.
• rekimoa a fish, sea bass.
• ren name of a tree, the.
• rereba a fish, the.
• rerekoti a fish.
• riba crowded.
• ribabui Acanthurus aliala (ll).
• ribanti a fish, surgeon fish.
• ribaroro a fish, surgeon fish.
• ribataukarawa a fish, the.
• riebu a fish.
• rimai a fish, the.
• rironikai a fish, the.
• roa a fish, the.
• rokea a fish, the.
• roti.1 Pseuderanthemum carruthersii Seem. (z).
• rou a fish, the.
• roubaneawa a fish, the.
• rube a ruby (ENG).
• ruku a vine resembling the morning-glory.
• tababa a species of shark, the.
• tabakea shell turtle, the egg of a roach.
• tabaraereke flying fishh.
• tabou Lethrinus rhodopterus (ll).
• takabe a fish, the.
• take a duck (ENG).
• takua dolphin.
• tanai an adze.
• tangiuaoua Pterodroma alba.
• tani a plural form equivalent to the english suffix -ers.
• taningamea fish, a name for eels, etc.
• tapuku Puffinus iherminieri dichrous.
• taraba a fish, the.
• tarabuti a fish, the.
• tarabutinang a fish,the.
• tarabutinimarawa a very long tarabuti.
• tarai a fish, the.
• tarangongo stern <bird>.
• tarire a n tarire, nga n tarire: distant relationship.
• taritari to associate as brethren.
• tau a fish, the.
• tauanei a fish, the.
• tauman a fish, the.
• tauri (S.) ntaritari (N.) (perhaps) oil fish.
• tauti stingy, selfish, niggardly.
• tawa a fish, the.
• tawatawa a fish, the.
• tawia a fish. blue spot rock codd.
• tewe a fish, the.
• tina a mother.
• tinanmea Lutianus semicinctus.
• tinebu clumsy in climbing.
• tineemea Lutianus semicinctus (ll).
• tintin to roast, to broil.
• tiriwenei a bird, the.
• toaua a fish, the.
• toua to tread.
• tuai not yet, a verbal adverb, an adverbial verb.
• tumara a shell-fish, the.
• uananti blighted or poorly developed coconut.
• ubanaine a fish (Labridae sp.), wrasse.
• uboa fish for ubo.
• uianau Epibulus insidator.
• ukina plant (Terminalia samoensis).
• unabia fertile female flying fish.
• unikai babai.
• unimai fish.
• unun crossness, moroseness, disposition to quarrel or fight.
• ura blaze.
• uri tree.
• uringabo fish.
• uronau Pandanus sp..
• urua destroy, break.
• uruaongo kingfish of largest species <fish>.
• urunga work a steering oar, so as to "keep off".
• uteute ni aine spe grass.
• uteute ni mane spe grass.
• uti louse.
• wao a creeping vine.
• waonnansi Boerhavia tetrandra Forster (z).
• wari a person, or ship, or house of great size.
• waribuni Lagocephalus sp. (ll).
• warionauti Lagocephalus sp. (ll).
• waro a species of crab, the.
• were a fish, the.
• were makai Tridacoconuta squamosa (i).
• wianau Epibulus insidiator (ll).
• wiatibu a fish, the.
• wiau a shell-fish, the.
• wibubura a fish, the.
• wikakang bold and caustic in speech.
• wikaru Lutianus bohar (ll).
• wimona a fish, the.
• winiona a parrotfish (ll).
• witae a large eel, the.