Meaning & use
lanai
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
A roofed outdoor porch or patio, often with open sides, especially in Hawaii and warm climates.
Grammar: Countable; plural lanais. Often used in real estate listings: a private lanai.
Patterns
- a lanai
- on the lanai
- a private lanai
We ate breakfast on the lanai while watching the sunrise over the ocean.
The apartment has a small lanai with room for two chairs.
Many Hawaiian homes are built with a lanai facing the garden.
Word forms
| plural | lanais |
|---|
Common combinations
- on the lanai
- They spent the evening on the lanai, enjoying the cool breeze.
- private lanai
- The hotel room comes with a private lanai overlooking the pool.
- screened lanai
- A screened lanai keeps mosquitoes out while letting air in.
- lanai door
- Please close the lanai door so the air conditioning stays inside.
Synonyms and how they differ
- veranda
- Veranda is the general word for a roofed porch, used everywhere; lanai is mainly Hawaiian and suggests a relaxed outdoor living space.
- patio
- A patio is usually an open paved area at ground level, while a lanai is typically roofed and attached to the house.
- porch
- Porch is the common everyday term; lanai is a regional word with a tropical feel.
Commonly confused: lanai or Lana'i?
lanai vs Lana'i
Lana'i is the name of a Hawaiian island; lanai (without the apostrophe) is a porch. The apostrophe marks a different pronunciation.
Practice
In which sentence is 'lanai' used correctly?
Choose one answer.
A lanai is a roofed porch or patio where people relax, so sitting on the lanai fits; it is not a garage, bedroom, or kitchen.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “lanai”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.