haole

Hawaiian term for Caucasian; generally, but not always, derogatory. Pronounced "howl-ee," haole is a compound of ha, for "breath," and ole, for "no" or "without." Ancient Hawaiians prepared for religious ceremonies with deep-breathing rituals; American and European missionaries, who began arriving in the Islands in the early 19th century, placed no emphasis on breathing, and thus became known as h...