Mahalo is a Hawaiian wor meaning thanks, gratitude, admiration, praise, esteem, regards, respects. According to the Pukui and Elbert Hawaiian Dictionary, it is derived from the Proto Polynesian masalo. It seems likely to be closely related to the less common New Zealand Maori word Maharo (wonderful) the Malagasi (Malay-Polynesian language spoken in Madagascar) word mahagaga (wonderful) and the Malay and Sanskrit word maha (great).