kain.
/kʌɪ/, U.S. /kaɪ/, New Zealand English /kʌi/, /kæe/ New Zealand.
Food, victuals.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > [noun]
meateOE
eatOE
foodOE
fodderOE
dietc1230
gista1290
victual1303
victualsa1375
preya1382
feedinga1398
pasturea1398
viancea1400
viandsc1400
livingc1405
meatingc1425
vitalyc1440
vianda1450
cates1461
vivers1536
viandry1542
viander1543
gut-matter1549
peck1567
belly-cheer1579
appast1580
manchet1583
chat1584
belly-metal1590
repasture1598
cibaries1599
belly-timber1607
belly-cheat1608
peckage1610
victuallage1622
keeping1644
vivresa1650
crib1652
prog1655
grub1659
beef1661
fooding1663
teething1673
eatablea1687
sunket1686
yam1788
chow-chow1795
keep1801
feed1818
grubbing1819
patter1824
ninyam1826
nyam1828
grubbery1831
tack1834
kai1845
mungaree1846
scoff1846
foodstuff1847
chuck1850
muckamuck1852
tuck1857
tucker1858
hash1865
nosh1873
jock1879
cake flour1881
chow1886
nosebag1888
stodge1890
food aid1900
tackle1900
munga1907
scarf1932
grubber1959
1838 J. S. Polack New Zealand I. 289 There is a much larger variety of this esculent [sc. potato] called kai pakehá, or white man's food.]
1845 E. J. Wakefield Adventures N.Z. I. 265 The determination of the natives not to move till all the kai was exhausted.
1925 E. Fraser & J. Gibbons Soldier & Sailor Words 134 Kai, food. (A Maori word, used among the New Zealand troops in the War.)
1927 T. E. Donne Maori, Past & Present 95 I kep in te whare for tree day, but no kai (food).
1952 R. Finlayson Schooner came to Atia iii. 17 I can take Tua smokes and good kai.
1970 N.Z. Listener 12 Oct. 12/1 Some kai would go nicely now. Empty bellies do things to people.
Derivatives
So (in reduplicated form)
kaikai n. /kaikai/ food; feasting; a feast.
ΚΠ
1807 J. Savage Some Acct. N.Z. xi. 75 Kiki..food.]
1845 E. J. Wakefield Adventures N.Z. I. 29 He explained..that there would be much kai kai or feasting.
1894 R. L. Stevenson & L. Osbourne Ebb-tide i. iv. 60 There shall be no growling about the kaikai, which will be above allowance.
1901 A. C. Haddon Head-hunters 39 One afternoon some of us went to a kaikai, or feast.
1941 S. J. Baker N.Z. Slang 26 In early records the ‘pidgin’ forms kaikai or kiki are often discovered.
1969 Coast to Coast 1967–8 48 No, she didn't say tucker. The kanakas said kai-kai.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1933; most recently modified version published online June 2021).
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