Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A veranda or roofed patio.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In Hawaii, a bower, piazza, or porch.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun an island in the Hawaiian chain.
  • noun Hawaii a veranda or roofed patio often furnished and used as a living room.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A Hawaiian-style roofed patio.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun an island of central Hawaii; a pineapple-growing area
  • noun a veranda or roofed patio often furnished and used as a living room

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Hawaiian lānai.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Hawaiian lanai.

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Examples

  • Originally, a lanai was a lush Hawaiian-style porch entered through sliding doors from the living room, giving a sense of unbroken living space.

    Home Swell Home Cynthia Rowley 2002

  • Originally, a lanai was a lush Hawaiian-style porch entered through sliding doors from the living room, giving a sense of unbroken living space.

    Home Swell Home Cynthia Rowley 2002

  • Originally, a lanai was a lush Hawaiian-style porch entered through sliding doors from the living room, giving a sense of unbroken living space.

    Home Swell Home Cynthia Rowley 2002

  • Another highlight is the kitchen, which replaced what Pickell called a lanai or lean-to that was the family room and connection to the pool room.

    The Seattle Times 2011

  • This is the view from our balcony which one is required by law to call a "lanai" in Hawai'i.

    Lots of Pictures from Kaua'i Susan Palwick 2008

  • This is the view from our balcony which one is required by law to call a "lanai" in Hawai'i.

    Archive 2008-03-01 Susan Palwick 2008

  • About the size of a city lot and with 2 fellows there to greet you and help land your boat, we stumbled ashore over the coral and sat on the veranda ( 'lanai' to the locals) of a small rental 'cabin' and ate our PB and J sandwiches with our plantains and diet colas ..... how's that for mixing cultures?

    TravelPod.com TravelStream™ — Recent Entries at TravelPod.com 2010

  • Located at 72-122 Lau'eki Street, the property features a gated center courtyard leading to the main residence, which includes an expansive master suite, great room, kitchen, dining room, outdoor "lanai" living area, and infinity pool with spa overlooking the Hualalai Golf Course and the Pacific Ocean.

    Luxury Property Blog 2009

  • "The lanai is the favorite reception room, and here at any social function the musical program is given and cakes and ices are served; here morning callers are received, or gay riding parties, the ladies in pretty divided skirts, worn for convenience in riding astride,

    Following the Equator Mark Twain 1872

  • "The lanai is the favorite reception room, and here at any social function the musical program is given and cakes and ices are served; here morning callers are received, or gay riding parties, the ladies in pretty divided skirts, worn for convenience in riding astride,

    Following the Equator — Part 1 Mark Twain 1872

Comments

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  • Seen on HGTV.

    November 20, 2008

  • Always makes me think of Blanche Devereaux carrying a tray of ice tea.

    February 28, 2009