Ati (i), n. Offspring, descendant, clan.
1. Used frequently in tribal names. Ko to Ati Awa rangatira tenei (P. 99). Ka kataina e te tini o te Ati Hapai taua tangata (T. 39).
2. Used also with a dual pronoun to indicate a person and his clan, as ati-taua, etc. I te haehae i ta ati-raua ika.
3. In the plural, nga ati (usually written ngāti), used as in 1 and 2 above. Ka rewa te ope a Ngati Awa, a Ngati Toa, ki Taranaki (T. 182). Ehara i a ngati maua tena reo.
Note.—In tribal designations the second element is usually a proper name, but occasionally, as in the case of Ngati Haka, Ngati Kumara, the name has originated in an incident. ‖ Journ. Anth. Soc. xxxii, 183. ‖ ai (iii), ngai.
Williams Dictionary
Ati (ii), conj. Then. Ati ko Mauitikitiki koe a Taranga (T. 17). Ati hoki, yes, indeed. ‖ oti.
Williams Dictionary
Ati (iii), n. Beginning. I pehea to kupu i te ati ? (What was it you said at first ?) Ika i te ati, the first person slain in battle. Ka mau i reira to ika i te ati (M. 260). Ati-a-toa, a term applied to a young man after his first battle. Ko te umu potaka mo te arero-whero tena, me te ati a-toa. ‖ mataati.
Williams Dictionary
