Mahalo
Jason Calacanis's former human-powered search engine, which he cites as an early, pre-AI attempt to provide direct answers, similar to what Perplexity and Google are now doing.
First Mentioned
10/12/2025, 6:12:44 AM
Last Updated
10/12/2025, 6:23:11 AM
Research Retrieved
10/12/2025, 6:23:11 AM
Summary
Mahalo was an early, pre-AI search engine venture founded by Jason Calacanis. The organization's name is derived from the Hawaiian word "Mahalo," which means thanks, gratitude, admiration, praise, esteem, regards, or respects. Historical linguistic analysis suggests that the specific meanings of "thanks" and "gratitude" may have been added to the word's usage after contact with Westerners, as early visitors observed Hawaiians were generous but lacked a direct term for these sentiments.
Referenced in 1 Document
Research Data
Extracted Attributes
Type
Search Engine
Nature
Early, pre-AI search venture
Founder
Jason Calacanis
Name Origin
Hawaiian word
Etymology Note
Meanings 'thanks' and 'gratitude' believed to be appended after contact with Westerners
Meaning of Name
Thanks, gratitude, admiration, praise, esteem, regards, or respects
Wikipedia
View on WikipediaMahalo
"Mahalo" is a Hawaiian word meaning thanks, gratitude, admiration, praise, esteem, regards, or respects. According to the Pukui and Elbert Hawaiian Dictionary, it is derived from the Proto-Polynesian *masalo. Some sources support that the meanings "thanks" and "gratitude" were appended to the word following contact with Westerners. While the word mahalo is found in Lorrin Andrews' 1865 dictionary, the English-Hawaiian section does not provide any Hawaiian word intended to mean gratitude or thanks. Also, early visitors noted that the Hawaiians were generous and grateful people, but had no word to express gratitude or to say "thank you".
Web Search Results
- Mahalo - Wikipedia
Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia ## Contents # Mahalo "Mahalo" is a Hawaiian word meaning thanks, gratitude, admiration, praise, esteem, regards, or respects. According to the Pukui and Elbert Hawaiian Dictionary, it is derived from the Proto-Polynesian \masalo. [...] Some sources support that the meanings "thanks" and "gratitude" were appended to the word following contact with Westerners. While the word mahalo is found in Lorrin Andrews' 1865 dictionary, the English-Hawaiian section does not provide any Hawaiian word intended to mean gratitude or thanks. Also, early visitors noted that the Hawaiians were generous and grateful people, but had no word to express gratitude or to say "thank you". ## See also ## References `{{cite book}}` [...] | | | --- | | Stub icon | This Hawaiʻi-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. | Stub icon This Hawaiʻi-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. | | | --- | | Stub icon | This vocabulary-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. | Stub icon This vocabulary-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Wikimedia Foundation Powered by MediaWiki
- Mahalo is a famous Hawaiian word which means “thank you”, or to ...
Mahalo is a famous Hawaiian word which means “thank you”, or to express gratitude. This is one of the common greetings, rather like “aloha”,
- Mahalo Meaning: Must-Know Hawaiian Vocabulary
According to the Pukui and Elbert Hawaiian Dictionary, mahalo (pronounced mah hah loh) can express gratitude, appreciation, or praise. ### Giving Thanks: Mahalo and Mahalo Nui Loa Use the word mahalo in Hawaii whenever you would normally say thank you. For example, say mahalo if you are greeted at your hotel or resort with a flower lei—a typical welcome. [...] To express an even greater level of thanks, say the common Hawaiian phrase mahalo nui loa. The literal meaning is thank you big and wide. It is like saying thank you very much, instead of just thanks. ### What is a Good Response to Mahalo? Expressing gratitude is an important value in Polynesian cultures, but so is humility. A common response to mahalo is a’ole pilikia, which means “no problem”. [...] Shop Dine Spa Coupons Maps About Hawai’i 84°F Scattered Clouds Open Today: 10:00am - 9:00pm Shop Dine Spa Coupons Maps About Hawai’i # Mahalo Meaning: Must-Know Hawaiian Vocabulary ## From The Blog Updated: October 1, 2025 Mahalo means thank you in the Hawaiian language —a common word of gratitude that should be familiar to every person who visits Hawaii. In this article, we will:
- 14 Hawaiian phrases to learn before your next trip to Hawaii
### 2. Mahalo – Thank you Pronounced mah-hah-loh Show your gratitude with the Hawaiian phrase mahalo. If you’re feeling extra grateful, use mahalo nui loa (pronounced mah-hah-loh noo-ee) for ‘thank you very much’. It can also be used to praise someone or show your respect for someone or something. [...] The Pukui and Elbert Hawaiian dictionary tells us that mahalocomes from a Proto-Polynesian word masalo, but that doesn’t tell the full story. According to the earliest visits to Hawaii, explorers noted that the island people practiced an extremely grateful and admiring culture, meaning there was no particular word needed to express this gratitude. It most likely just wasn’t necessary, with gratitude implicit within the culture. Apparently, only much later, after integrating with western [...] If you want to embody Hawaii’s grateful, community-driven culture, make sure to spread the gratitude as much as possible by saying this in response to mahalo.Also, make a note that in Hawaiian, there are a lot of okinas,which are the apostrophes you see around ‘A’ in this phrase. These are glottal stops, which means a clean break between vowels. Make sure to take a break between pronouncing the vowels when you see the , ### 4. A hui hou – Until we meet again Pronounced ah-hoo-wee-ho-oo-uu
- MAHALO Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
The meaning of MAHALO is thank you.
Wikidata
View on WikidataCountry
Located In
Instance Of
Population
869Coordinates
Location Data
Mahalo, Mapun, Tawi-Tawi, Bangsamoro, 7508, Philippines
Coordinates: 6.9906254, 118.4961355
Open Map