Glossary of Native Words Frequently Employed
| Ahu | A burial-place |
| Aku-aku | Spirit |
| Ana | Cave |
| Ao | The clan or clans celebrating bird rites |
| Ao | A ceremonial paddle |
| Ariki | Chief |
| Atua | God |
| Hanga | Bay or foreshore |
| Haré | House |
| Hau | Hat |
| Hopu | Servant to fetch “First egg” |
| Iti | Small |
| Ika | Fish |
| Ivi-atua | Person supernaturally gifted |
| Kai | Eat |
| Kaunga | Function in honour of a mother |
| Ko | Definite article before proper nouns |
| Kohau rongo-rongo | Tablet with script |
| Koro | Function in honour of a father |
| Marama | Light (In Tahitian = moon) |
| Manu | Bird |
| Manu-tara | The sacred bird (Sooty Tern) |
| Máta | Clan or group |
| Mataa | Obsidian spear-head |
| Maunga | Hill |
| Miro | Wood |
| Moai | An image |
| Motu | Islet |
| Nui | Big |
| Paina | A wooden figure, also the function connected with it |
| Péra | Taboo for the dead |
| Poki | A child |
| Raa | Sun |
| Ranga | Captivity |
| Rano | Crater lake, also the extinct volcano |
| Rapa | Small dancing-paddle |
| Roa | Long |
| Rongo-rongo | Sacred words |
| Také | Ceremonial retreat |
| Tangata | Man |
| Tangata-ika | A slain man |
| Tangata-manu | The bird-man |
| Tangata rongo-rongo | Man learned in sacred words (generally the script) |
| Tatane | Spirits (from “Satan”) |
| Te | Definite article before common noun |
| Tea | White |
Words such as nui, iti, and roa, when they have become in themselves geographical names, are treated as proper nouns, otherwise as adjectives.