kangaroo
[ kang-guh-roo ]
/ ˌkæŋ gəˈru /
noun, plural kan·ga·roos, (especially collectively) kan·ga·roo.
any herbivorous marsupial of the family Macropodidae, of Australia and adjacent islands, having a small head, short forelimbs, powerful hind legs used for leaping, and a long, thick tail: several species are threatened or endangered.
Origin of kangaroo
1760–70; < Guugu Yimidhirr (Australian Aboriginal language spoken around Cooktown, N Queensland)
gaŋ-urru large black or gray species of kangaroo
OTHER WORDS FROM kangaroo
kan·ga·roo·like, adjectiveWords nearby kangaroo
kaneohe,
kang,
kang-de,
kanga,
kanga pirau,
kangaroo,
kangaroo care,
kangaroo closure,
kangaroo court,
kangaroo dog,
kangaroo grass
Example sentences from the Web for kangaroo
British Dictionary definitions for kangaroo
kangaroo
/ (ˌkæŋɡəˈruː) /
noun plural -roos
any large herbivorous marsupial of the genus Macropus and related genera, of Australia and New Guinea, having large powerful hind legs, used for leaping, and a long thick tail: family Macropodidae
See also rat kangaroo, tree kangaroo
(usually plural) stock exchange
an Australian share, esp in mining, land, or a tobacco company
verb -roos, -rooing or -rooed
informal
(of a car) to move forward or to cause (a car) to move forward with short sudden jerks, as a result of improper use of the clutch
Derived forms of kangaroo
kangaroo-like, adjectiveWord Origin for kangaroo
C18: probably from a native Australian language