bettong
[ buh-tawng, -tong ]
noun
any of several marsupials of the genus Bettongia, of Australia and nearby regions, comprising the short-nosed rat-kangaroos, characterized by short, rounded ears, long hind feet, and a naked muzzle tip: all four species are endangered.
Origin of bettong
1First recorded in 1830–40, bettong is from the Dharuk word ba-daŋ
Words Nearby bettong
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use bettong in a sentence
One of these animals, known as the brush-tailed bettong, puts its tail to a most curious use.
The Animal World, A Book of Natural History | Theodore Wood
British Dictionary definitions for bettong
bettong
/ (bɛˈtɒŋ) /
noun
a species of rat kangaroo of Australia having a short nose
Origin of bettong
1C19: from a native Australian language
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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