emu
noun
a large, flightless, ratite bird, Emu (Dromaius ) novaehollandiae, of Australia, resembling the ostrich but smaller and having a feathered head and neck and rudimentary wings.
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emu
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EMU
EMUAlso electromagnetic unit.
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e.m.u.
e.m.u.abbreviationelectromagnetic unit
emu
1 American
[ee-myoo]
/ ˈi mju /
noun
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emus
plural
EMU
2
American
EMU
1
British
abbreviation
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European Monetary Union
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Economic and Monetary Union
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See e.m.u.
emu
2
British
/ ˈiːmjuː /
noun
e.m.u.
3
British
abbreviation
EMU
Scientific
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of emu
1605–15; earlier emeu (in earliest E source emia, eme ), ultimately < Portuguese ema, attested in 1541 as a name for the cassowary (further origin obscure); the replacement of -a by -eu, etc., is unexplained
Explanation
An emu is a very large, flightless bird that is only slightly shorter than its close relative, the ostrich. You're likely to see emus if you travel around their native continent of Australia. Emus reign as the biggest bird in Australia, growing to a height of six feet or more as adults. These long-legged birds have soft brown feathers and relatively small wings that they flap as they run (sometimes sprinting at 30 miles per hour), though sadly, they're unable to take flight. Etymologists guess that emu comes from the Portuguese word for "ostrich," ema.
Vocabulary lists containing emu
Birds, Birds, Birds, List 2
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Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody
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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.
See Examples For:
Colossal Biosciences would again edit the genes of a close living relative, such as the emu or tinamou, and call it a moa.
From Slate ● Aug. 8, 2025
And in “Edward the Emu,” by Sheena Knowles, an emu who has tired of the zoo tries on life as a seal, a lion and a snake.
From New York Times ● Mar. 1, 2024
Besides the 10 remaining bison, the park is home to a horse, two donkeys, two mule deer, tortoises, alpacas, a llama, pigs, rabbits, chickens, geese, ducks, swans, an emu and a cockatoo.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2023
The energetic emu has managed to jump the fence before but has usually been swiftly found.
From BBC ● Apr. 15, 2023
He wondered if he would have better luck sleeping in the emu pen.
From "Maniac Magee" by Jerry Spinelli
South Alabama AD Joel Erdmann issued a statement Sunday saying he was disappointed in the postgame conflict, but was grateful that EMU “took ownership” of the confrontation and apologized.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 24, 2023
EMU played in one bowl game before his arrival.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 25, 2022
EMU, which closed out the regular season with three straight wins, will share the MAC West Division title with Toledo after Western Michigan upset the Rockets 20-14 on Friday.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 25, 2022
Powell gave EMU a two-score lead with 21-yard touchdown pass to Dylan Drummond on the final play of the quarter.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 25, 2022
In 2000, Austria moved to further cut government spending and raise taxes to meet EMU deficit targets after facing unexpected difficulties in reducing the public deficit.
From The 2001 CIA World Factbook by United States. Central Intelligence Agency
The remains came from both native and introduced animals, including cows, kangaroos, emus, sheep, pigs, dingoes, rabbits, possums, quolls and swamp rats.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 4, 2026
By analyzing data from T. rex remains as well as data from the theropod's closest living bird relatives, including emus and ostriches, Herculano-Houzel concluded that theropod brains had in excess of three billion neurons.
From Salon ● May 4, 2024
A month on and the emus are doing well, said Mrs Muralyi.
From BBC ● Dec. 22, 2023
There is even rural “gauchopunk” complete with gaucho androids dreaming of electric emus, conjured by Argentine writer Michel Nieva in a tongue-in-cheek reference to Philip K. Dick’s “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?”
From New York Times ● Jun. 10, 2023
She knew the Latin phrase “tempus fugit,” which means “time flies,” like a bird—but there were flightless birds, after all: ostriches and emus and dodos and so on.
From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood
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.
