Te Reo Māori term named as world's most beautiful word

Joseph Guenzler Published July 17, 2026 at 6.30pm (AWST)

culture

Language-learning platform Babbel has named the Māori word "kaitiakitanga" the world's most beautiful word.. (Image: Getty Images)

The Māori word "kaitiakitanga" has been named the world's most beautiful word by language-learning platform Babbel.

It was selected from a longlist of more than 223 words across 75 languages following an international review of sound, meaning and cultural significance.

Kaitiakitanga refers to the responsibility to protect and care for the natural world for present and future generations within a Māori world view.

Babbel said the result was not intended as an objective ranking, but showed how linguistic beauty could differ across languages, cultures and individual listeners.

The company developed the longlist by examining discussions on international Reddit threads and TikTok language communities, where users shared words they considered beautiful, moving or distinctive.

Suggestions from Babbel language and culture experts were also included before an international jury of linguists, authors and cultural figures assessed the entries.

The jury first received an anonymised selection and chose five favourites, awarding points based on preference.

The highest-scoring words formed a shortlist of 15 before the jury completed a final assessment based on sound, meaning, linguistic distinctiveness and cultural resonance.

Babbel said kaitiakitanga stood out because it combined a distinctive sound with a layered meaning and a concept that did not have a direct equivalent in many other languages.

The company also linked the word to international concern about environmental responsibility and the treatment of the natural world.

Babbel language expert Esteban Touma Portilla told RNZ the word had particular relevance as communities faced the effects of climate change.

"As people around the world experience the effects of climate change, the resonant, distinctive word Kaitiakitanga reminds us of our responsibility to care for the environment and for one another," Mr Touma Portilla said.

Babbel assessed each shortlisted word across four main criteria covering how it sounded, what it meant, whether it reflected a distinctive cultural view and how strongly it connected with issues shaping society.

The platform said words could become powerful when they captured feelings, values or experiences that required several words to explain in another language.

Babbel linguist and language expert Maren Pauli told RNZ the strongest words combined sound, meaning, cultural context and relevance.

"Kaitiakitanga brings all of them together, and shows how language can open new perspectives on our world," Ms Pauli said.

"The beauty of a word rarely comes from its sound alone, or its meaning alone.

"Words become truly extraordinary where sound, meaning, cultural context, and timeliness come together."

Other words to make the shortlist included:

Aura (Greek) - The distinctive presence, energy or atmosphere surrounding a person.

Hiraeth (Welsh) - A deep longing for a lost or never-known home or time.

Ikigai (Japanese) - A sense of purpose that gives someone a reason to get up each morning.

Iriy (Ukrainian) - A mythical warm place where souls and birds migrate in winter.

Kintsugi (Japanese) - The art of repairing broken ceramics with gold.

Luftmensch (Yiddish) - An idealist or dreamer who lives through ideas rather than practical matters.

Mamihlapinatapai (Yaghan) - A meaningful look between two people who both want the other to make the first move.