Topics

Weather and sky

Wind, rain, stars, moon and the seasons.

319 Kiribati words

• ai flint lock musket.
• aibwea glow of the sky at dawn or sunset (is also said of the moon).
• aikoriri Te Aikoriri: a star.
• aimama rising of full moon.
• aitai magnifying glass (lit. attract the sun).
• aitara to face, vis a vis, to be opposite.
• ang wind, air.
• ang kau slight wind with calm between gusts.
• angibue warm.
• angineuo cowardly.
• anginou wind like nou (stationary fish), gentle wind.
• angitaba contrary wind, opposing, impeding...
• angitaban cowardly.
• angitanaboabo liable to calm streaks as a section in the lee of coconut trees.
• angitannene coming in puffs from various quarters, as the wind.
• angitaururu strong wind, violent wind.
• angobo broken wind.
• anikarau darkness preceding the fall of rain.
• annang atmosphere just below the clouds.
• anoi shark.
• antimama Crustacean, black species of...
• aobai weather side, or that side of a canoe which is nearest to the…
• aoniman high in the sky, higher than birds fly.
• aratai Nei Aratai: a star, perhaps Algol of Perseus.
• aratati a star.
• are who, which, that (yonder).
• ariki calm.
• arinai fish.
• atinikabo rock or reef in passage at meeting of tides.
• atinro stone used as an anchor, an anchor.
• aumaiaki summer.
• aumeang winter.
• auti house (ENG).
• awanei species of fish, manta sp., manta ray.
• ba because, for, that, as.
• babaniman Sirius; Babaniman meang: star.
• babaturua coming up as a squall, about to fall as the rain.
• bai ni karau rain coat.
• bai ni man a jest or attitude of dancer imitating flight of wings.
• baibati much, strong as the wind.
• baibingao 1. offensive smell on hands.
• baibuobuoki name of a star in Pegasus constellation.
• baibure Nei Tebaibure or Baiburebure;
• baieti a star.
• baikare a star (Spica?) Heart? (Grimble).
• baimoa Venus, Morning Star.
• bairaro Nei Bairaro: a strong regular wind.
• baireke handy, skilful with hands at catching, climbing, taking, i.e. to…
• bairikaki a star.
• baitaere Nei Baitaere: a star.
• bakarateaba Nei Bakarateaba: Pole Star.
• bakoa a shark (general term for the genus).
• banga n waro constellation of stars near Canopus (Waro).
• bara ni kaue a constellation, some stars of Cephee.
• baraitoa a small hat.
• baraitoa ae nei terata a constellation.
• baraitoa ae te are a large constellation consisting of four stars of Hercules and four…
• baraitoa te wae ni ma idem. in Tabiteuea Island, a constellation.
• barantonga ana bara Ntonga: a certain star.
• batena a star.
• batere Nei Batere. a star, Capella (?).
• batirara a star.
• batuaro the under and front portion of a shark.
• bau n rimoa a constellation.
• bau n rimwimata two stars at each side of Antares.
• bibi the wind pipe.
• bibitoi an imperfect or partial rainbow.
• bineang to try to predict the wind.
• binebinera to do the wind with an incantation that it may blow.
• binera to seek or search for as things which may give a pleasant fragrance…
• bobo a season or time just before fruit befins to ripen.
• boborau frequentative of borau: to sail, to go to sea.
• bobuki to be entirely dispersed, to be all gone.
• bokarina to act quickly.
• bono uati baba doubly closed, deaf as a door post.
• bonobonon nei ngutu a constellation.
• borengarenga red, as the sky.
• boua to build a new canoe.
• buaka war.
• bubu a fish, the.
• bubutei a partial rainbow.
• buki n ang a rain cloud, the end of a shower.
• bukirurunga to resound, as falling coconut.
• bung to set as the sun.
• burabura n toa a constellation.
• buto the navel.
• bwebwe a butterfly.
• bwebwenimarawa Nesofregetta albigularis.
• etinimeang a star.
• ia ni mama spring tide at full moon.
• ianro tide at time of new moon.
• ientaeaba large sail for fair weather or light winds.
• ikabakubaku dryy>ied fish.
• ike where (yonder).
• ikiku stone mallet.
• ikuku Nei Ikuku: wife of the moon (of the mallet).
• ingingu roar as distant breakers or thunder.
• ingu roar as distant thunder or cannon firing.
• iti seven, always followed by a numeral suffix or certain noun.
• itirua lighten frequently.
• itoi star.
• itoi n aka a star of the Dragon.
• itoi n tarai ki Evening star (Venus).
• itoi ni ngaina Morning star (Venus).
• itua n inai Orion's belt <constellation>.
• itua ni bure (a string of shells) a constellation, Berenice's hair.
• kabaibata to give more force to, as the voice.
• kabairekereke a constellation comprising several stars of Scorpion.
• kabairua a star of Scorpion.
• kabaru to entrap, to engage in entrapping.
• kabibi Na Kabibi: a star.
• kaborake to shoot up as sprouts.
• kabue hot, oppressive, as the heat of the day.
• kabungi namakaina a manner of fishing after moon sets.
• kabungi tai to wait till the sun sets, to let sun set, to compete with, to…
• kaburoro to cause loathing.
• kai n roa a fishing rod (more usual) te kai n roaroa.
• kai ni kabaru a rat trap, a mouse trap.
• kai ni kabeti part of constellation of Scorpion.
• kai ni karawa saints, inhabitants of heaven, stars of the firmament.
• kai ni katoka a constellation: trapeze in Sagittarius.
• kai ni moi a Gilbertese ladle, a ladle.
• kakai to spend a season on an islet in fishing.
• kama the Southern cross.
• kama n nuka a constellation (Ka:ma-Nu:ka central Kama).
• kama te irariki a constellation.
• kama te kinaka a constellation.
• kamaa to wait upon the rain until the shower is quite over.
• kamaiaki Southern Crosss <constellation>.
• kamaiti increase, multiplication.
• kamaranga to separate.
• kamaratingoa to wet as the rain.
• kamarube a constellation. quadrilateral of Dragon.
• kameang the name of a certain star.
• kameio troublesome, vexatious, boring, annoying.
• kameio rariki a constellation.
• kanauta to fare poorly because of want of good food, or because of having to…
• kantoa myth. per. kind of giant, son of Nao and Neiko, husband of Nei…
• kanubonoa to darken the sun, as a cloud.
• kara decrepit, aged.
• karanga a stream, a brook, a river.
• karau to rain.
• karaunroro unceasing rain.
• karawa heaven, the blue sky, the skies.
• karawarawa high up in the sky.
• kareao to tell jokes, to talk chaff, to exaggerate.
• kareke ua tabo said of wind which is good for journey both ways.
• kareke uouan nei auti a constellation.
• karekea te baraitoa a constellation.
• karinaba a large black ant.
• karume to shine as the sun when somewhat obscured.
• kataba to give way, to turn aside in order to let another pass.
• katakora a constellation, stars of Lesser Dog.
• katei to set sail.
• katikikora very strong.
• kaurebakua to tie or wind the extreme end of a coconut spathe for karewe, after…
• kawa to creep.
• kawawa to engage in collecting dripping rain water.
• kawawaea to collect dripping rain water.
• kaweaki good and favorable, as a wind for sailing.
• kibati to excel in throwing.
• kikanang star fish, windmill, etc.
• kikonang a toy leaf windmill, a windmill,.
• kimeata reddish, as foliage in a dry season.
• koron te ba thunder boltt.
• kororabaro to cut the hair short just above the forehead.
• kua weary.
• kumete thin in flesh after a spell of sickness.
• kunei n auti a constellation (three small stars of Taurus).
• kurikuri a portion of the entrails of a shark.
• ma ni kataenako (1) a fish trap (ma) having an opening at the far end where a net is…
• maeiei sway as in the wind, or in an earthquake.
• maiawa a star.
• maire mile (ENG).
• makiara a star.
• man from (it becomes mani before m, b, k).
• man ati a certain constellation, Rigel <star?> (Grimble).
• manai scissors.
• manring peeling off in little scales as sunburnt skin.
• mao large bush.
• marabu ascending in great volume as a smoke in the distance.
• maremare kind of kite.
• mari season of plenty, fruitful season.
• maro sink, founder, go down as food.
• maroro converse, engage in conversation.
• mata eye, face.
• matarekinaka a star.
• mataro a star.
• mataroa door, gate, entrance.
• matim rain very gently, to sprinkle.
• matinaba a constellation. three stars in a line in Capricorn.
• matiriki star.
• matoroniwi a constellation in Virgo (?).
• moanibong Monday (1st day of week).
• na boua a star.
• na kabanei a star.
• na kabibi a star.
• na kabiri a star.
• na kamoto a star.
• na karanga (who plays at karanga). a constellation.
• na karinaba (the big ant) a constellation.
• na nu ware a constellation near Canopus.
• nakara a star (Regulus).
• namakaina moon, month.
• nang well filled with babai plants, as a patch.
• nangibungea a cloud protecting from sun, dark cloud.
• nanginang cloudy, abounding in clouds.
• natiati a fish.
• nau a constellation.
• naubwebwe stars.
• nawa to rest another by taking his place.
• nea ashamed, mortifyied.
• neabung branch hanging broken by storm, nuts, fruit fallen by accident.
• neia the fish.
• neinei a shallow pool, pond.
• nenea greasy, fatty.
• nenei the fish.
• newe a tongue.
• nonoaba very many.
• nubono cloudiness, the state of being cloudy.
• ngaruru muffled noise of quaking and rolling.
• ngea a tree, the.
• ngutu a movable sight of a gun.
• oiaki new moon.
• omatata flash repeadly as lightning.
• onoati te tia Onoati: a star.
• oriba te Oriba stars.
• oti oats (ENG).
• rabebe sloping, slanting, declining as the sun.
• rabi bellying as a sail, indented as a coast, curved laterally.
• raiti rice (ENG).
• raiti ni bure (joyous glittering) Coma Berenice's Constellation.
• ranga cranky, as a craft.
• rarae Riru ma Rarae: a constellation.
• raroaki fair, moderate and constant as a wind.
• raun ma baeao a constellation.
• rawa to refuse.
• rebua to enter upon, to do.
• renaba a stage of the moon just after the full.
• retireti (N.) star of Scorpio constellation.
• rikiatababa (1) a species of taro with shoots all around.
• rimwimata Cor scorpionis, summer.
• rimwimata ni meang a star. Arcturus of Bootes.
• rin to wane as the moon.
• riringa clear sunlight, sunshine.
• riru ma rarae a constellation.
• ron rimwimata stars of Scorpion under Antares.
• roni kama stars a <alpha> and b <beta> of Centaur.
• ronikama name of a certain star.
• rubeirubei te nang (1) frightening position of whale having whole forefront raised to…
• rurunga to roar, to roll or rumble as of thunder.
• ruruon to return from the weather or ocean side.
• tabariku large clouds covering sky. (N).
• tabaroro cloudy.
• tabaruku unsettled as the weather, squally.
• tabaura a rainbow.
• tabauraura red or pink cloud over horizon at sunrise or sunset (weather sign).
• tabetinako to pass away as a cloud, to pass as a shower at a distance.
• tabio the piece of forked timber in which oar rudder of canoe rotates.
• tabuarikia bai-tabuarikia: to treat (as thunder) harshly, brutally, without…
• tabuteora name of a star.
• tabutora the name of a certain star.
• tae meang the season of meang (after equinox of March) is passed.
• taeani ie sign, omen (distant lightning, dark sky, etc.), that it is time to…
• taeanie to lighten in the distance.
• taeanimaro squally in the distance.
• taebaeba to lift off or up. as the wind does a roof-cap or a side screen.
• taekaiaki the season after equinox of September is over.
• taenibong the rainy season, Dec - Feb.
• taerawa a squall.
• taeririka stripped off as the mats on a ridgepole by the wind.
• tai surely, certainly, in due time.
• tairoa not arriving in season, too late.
• tanibabu lowery.
• tanibea cloudy with light baffling winds and likely to rain.
• tannaki not diposed to resent as through cowardice.
• tannang between two seasons, period when wind and currents are settled before…
• tannene ang tannene: unsteady wind, moving around in no fixed direction.
• tanomaki greatly excited as a multitude as by a rumor of war.
• taribubu slightly roiled, as by fish feeding.
• taubukinikarawa (1) the zenith.
• taukaro sparks.
• taumangang loafing.
• taururu te ang taururu: violent wind.
• tawa a fish, the.
• teawanei Ten Teawanei: a sea monster (not well identified).
• tebururu to spatter as heavy rain drops.
• tia ni kaure a star. Gamma Y of Orion.
• tia uota te inai a small star of Orion.
• tiaroaroa constellation Scorpion.
• timunnang middle of sky covered with clouds.
• ting tingiting: fart, pass wind.
• titune a small crab, sea louse.
• tokia ma rebua (1) stars B and A of Centaur.
• tokitaba the name of a star.
• toriba ni maiaki a horseshoe-shaped constellation in Eridanus.
• toriba ni meang stars of Lion's mane or Sickle <constellation>.
• tumara a shell-fish, the.
• tumwi a violent wind dying down to fair and steady.
• tura ni kama stars a and b <alpha and beta> of Centaure supporting the Southern…
• uananginang scattered clouds.
• uani karau to stay out in the rain, to bathe, play, work...
• ukeuke n anti a gust of wind, whirlwind, cyclone.
• uma ni borau idem. for finding stars using same terms as names of pieces used in…
• unarake sail close to the wind.
• uniboto continuing in one quarter as lightning.
• uri ni kareke syn. uri ni kanewe.
• urua destroy, break.
• wa a canoe.
• wae a leg, a foot.
• wae bubura (1) fat legs.
• wai to blow as the wind.
• wanikarau to run about in the rain.
• waro a species of crab, the.
• wawe to blow steadily and favorably.
• wenei (1) fleeting objects, souls, spirits of dead.
• wenei a shooting star or meteor.
• wi ni kua name of a constellation.
• wirara the rainbow.