moa

noun

ˈmō-ə

: any of various usually very large extinct flightless birds of New Zealand of a ratite order (Dinornithiformes) including two (Dinornis robustus and D. novaezelandiae of the family Dinornithidae) nearly 12 feet (3.7 meters) in height

Examples of moa in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

The moa's eggs were about the size of a football, which is far larger than the eggs of the moa's closest living relatives, such as the emu. — Rob Stein, NPR, 19 May 2026 The company now hopes to use the technology to bring back extinct birds, including the dodo and the giant moa. — Devika Rao, TheWeek, 28 May 2026 The company is also working to bring back the woolly mammoth, the Tasmanian tiger, the dodo, and the moa. — Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 30 Apr. 2026 There’s a long road ahead before Colossal attempts a moa resurrection using this artificial egg system. — Adithi Ramakrishnan, Fortune, 20 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for moa

Word History

Etymology

Maori

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of moa was in 1839

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Browse Nearby Words

-mo

moa

Moab

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Moa.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/moa. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

moa

noun

ˈmō-ə

: any of various usually very large extinct birds of New Zealand that were not able to fly

moa

noun

Examples of moa in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

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