Hawaii (also known as Midway Island, Midway Islands): A group of islands in Polynesia, in the north central Pacific Ocean, comprising eight major and 114 minor islands, largely volcanic and coral. Its capital is Honolulu. It was first reached by Polynesians about 500 A.D. It was discovered and named the Sandwich Island

NIH MeSH · D006254Geographicals

Hawaii

Also known asMidway Island · Midway Islands

Definition

A group of islands in Polynesia, in the north central Pacific Ocean, comprising eight major and 114 minor islands, largely volcanic and coral. Its capital is Honolulu. It was first reached by Polynesians about 500 A.D. It was discovered and named the Sandwich Islands in 1778 by Captain Cook. The islands were united under the rule of King Kamehameha 1795-1819 and requested annexation to the United States in 1893 when a provisional government was set up. Hawaii was established as a territory in 1900 and admitted as a state in 1959. The name is from the Polynesian Owhyhii, place of the gods, with reference to the two volcanoes Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, regarded as the abode of the gods. (From Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, 1988, p493 & Room, Brewer's Dictionary of Names, 1992, p2330)

MeSH classification

  • Z01.107.567.875.580.375
  • Z01.639.760.815.482
  • Z01.678.101.815.482

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Related concepts

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Common questions about Hawaii

What does Hawaii mean in medicine?
A group of islands in Polynesia, in the north central Pacific Ocean, comprising eight major and 114 minor islands, largely volcanic and coral. Its capital is Honolulu. It was first reached by Polynesians about 500 A.D. It was discovered and named the Sandwich Islands in 1778 by Captain Cook. The islands were united under the rule of King Kamehameha 1795-1819 and requested annexation to the United States in 1893 when a provisional government was set up. Hawaii was established as a territory in 1900 and admitted as a state in 1959. The name is from the Polynesian Owhyhii, place of the gods, with reference to the two volcanoes Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, regarded as the abode of the gods. (From Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, 1988, p493 & Room, Brewer's Dictionary of Names, 1992, p2330) This definition is taken from the National Library of Medicine's MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) 2026 release, which is the standard vocabulary used to index PubMed and most medical literature.
Is Hawaii known by any other names?
Yes. Hawaii is also referred to as Midway Island, Midway Islands in different clinical, research and patient-facing contexts. The MeSH descriptor groups all of these synonyms under a single canonical concept so research and records stay consistent.
Where does Hawaii sit in the medical classification?
Hawaii falls under the broader medical category "Geographicals" in the MeSH hierarchy (tree numbers: Z01.107.567.875.580.375, Z01.639.760.815.482, Z01.678.101.815.482). Browsing the related concepts on this page takes you to neighbouring topics in the same branch of medicine.
Where can I get a plain-language explanation of Hawaii?
For a plain-language explanation of Hawaii - including symptoms, treatments and what it means for an Indian patient - ask GoDavaii's Health AI. It works in 90+ languages, is free and needs no signup. Tap "Ask GoDavaii AI about Hawaii" above.

Source: NIH MeSH 2026 (D006254) — National Library of Medicine, public domain. View official MeSH record ↗