kangaroo
Americannoun
noun
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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
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(usually plural) stock exchange an Australian share, esp in mining, land, or a tobacco company
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of kangaroo
First recorded in 1760–70; from Guugu Yimidhirr (an Australian Aboriginal language spoken around Cooktown, northern Queensland) gaŋ-urru, a large black or gray species of kangaroo
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Explanation
A kangaroo is a large animal that leaps or springs on its big, strong back legs and uses its heavy tail for balance. If you visit Australia (or the zoo), you may see a kangaroo. Kangaroos are known for their habits of sitting upright and springing great distances. Female kangaroos have pouches in which they carry their babies. The word kangaroo is thought to come from a now-extinct Aboriginal language's word for a specific kind of kangaroo, gaNurru or gang-oo-roo. A "kangaroo court" is one that operates outside of the law, often with the intention of quickly (and unjustly) trying someone for a crime.
Vocabulary lists containing kangaroo
Australia and New Zealand - Introductory
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Australia and New Zealand - Middle School and High School
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Amazing Animals, A-Z
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
One is a black biped that has been dubbed Kangaroo, while the Tiago machine is fitted with jointed arms that have been put to use in logistics as well as picking grape harvests.
From Barron's • Jun. 19, 2026
Project Kangaroo was a plan by BBC Worldwide, ITV and Channel 4 for a UK video-on-demand joint venture.
From BBC • May 13, 2025
Bunny Rabbit conned Captain Kangaroo out of his carrots.
From Slate • Apr. 18, 2025
Everything worked for the Kangaroo senior from then on, ending with her three state titles this weekend.
From Seattle Times • May 25, 2024
That she was going into the second grade and that she watched Mighty Mouse and not Captain Kangaroo.
From "One Crazy Summer" by Rita Williams-Garcia
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
