joey

¹ American  

[joh-ee] / ˈdʒoʊ i /

noun

Australian.

plural

joeys

1. any young animal, especially a kangaroo.

2. a young child.

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joey ² American  

[joh-ee] / ˈdʒoʊ i /

noun

British Slang.

plural

joeys

1. a threepenny piece.

2. (formerly) a fourpenny piece.

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Joey ³ American  

[joh-ee] / ˈdʒoʊ i /

noun

plural

Joeys

1. a clown, especially in the circus or pantomime and puppet theater.

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Joey ⁴ American  

[joh-ee] / ˈdʒoʊ i /

noun

1. a male given name, form of Joe or Joseph.

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joey British  

/ ˈdʒəʊɪ /

noun

1. a young kangaroo or possum

2. a young animal or child

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Etymology

Origin of joey¹

First recorded in 1830–40; origin uncertain

Origin of joey²

First recorded in 1860–65; named after Joseph Hume (1777–1855), English politician who favored the coinage of the fourpenny piece

Origin of Joey³

1895–1900; diminutive of Joseph, after Joseph Grimaldi

Example Sentences

One evening, the joey turned playful, mimicking every move of its mother.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

She says she ran across the road "not to rip the joey away from its mother, but from fear she might attack me".

From BBC • Mar. 14, 2025

Edwardsville law enforcement and animal control from nearby Bonner Springs responded to calls about the unusual highway sight of a joey, which some mistook for a wallaby.

From Washington Times • Jun. 30, 2023

In the pouch, the joey attaches to its mother in order to nurse and continues developing for the next six months, the zoo said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2023

He was wood and water joey at some squatter's place until he seen a motor-car go past one day, the first that ever they had in the districk.

From Three Elephant Power and Other Stories by Paterson, A. B. (Andrew Barton)