Meaning
A long, often calf-length, loose-fitting dress chiefly with short sleeves which is made of lightweight fabric printed with colourful, stylized Hawaiian themes (such as flowers and palm branches).
Etymology
Origin: Indigenous languages
Borrowed from Hawaiian muʻumuʻu, from muʻumuʻu (“to be cut off; to be shortened”, verb), probably because the garment is a short-sleeved and often calf-length version of the floor-length holoku or Mother Hubbard dress which has long sleeves and originally a train.
NYT Puzzle Appearances
Accepted in 21 recorded puzzles:
- 2026-08-23MBEINTU
- 2026-08-08MEILTUV
- 2026-07-17UABELMN
- 2026-04-30UCOMINT
- 2026-04-19MATLINU
- 2026-04-01MBPIGNU
- 2025-10-11MELNOTU
- 2025-09-24MAUTLEC
- 2025-08-26MDIFEHU
- 2025-06-03UAMINLG
- 2024-11-16UAMNOTY
- 2024-10-14MUDPLNE
+9 earlier appearances in the archive.