Hawaiian disease noun sexual abstinence due to an absence of women US An allusion to the mythical illness “lakanuki” (lack of sex).
“Granddaddy says she is suffering from some terrible old maid’s Hawaiian disease.” “Oh really? What?” “Something called lackanookie,” she said perfectly straight and with no recognizable humor. — Shirley MacLaine, It’sAllinthePlaying, p. 139, 1987