1. A Hawaiian system of taboos and restrictions that governed behavior and social conduct in ancient Hawaii.
Usage: Hawaiian origin; historical/cultural term; often capitalized

1. Forbidden, prohibited, or sacred according to Hawaiian custom or tradition.
Usage: Hawaiian origin; cultural/historical context

Examples

• The kapu system was central to Hawaiian society before Western contact.
• Certain foods were kapu for women to eat under the old Hawaiian traditions.
• Breaking a kapu could result in serious social or spiritual consequences.
• The kahuna enforced the kapu laws throughout the islands.
• Many kapu practices were abandoned after the arrival of missionaries.